In the year 2018, goth babes are everything, and Pale Waves do not disappoint. The Manchester quartet has been compared to The 1975 and The Japanese House, giving the band big shoes to fill and high expectations to reach with its debut album. Clad in monotone and leaning heavily on goth-inspired aesthetics, the band is reminiscent of the glory ages of goth-pop.

But following in the footsteps of a band like The Cure, or even label-mates The 1975 isn’t an easy thing to do.

Vocalist and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie has one of those voices you just can’t place -- unique and unforgettable, if not a bit jarring as well. One might dare to say it’s reminiscent of Cranberries vocalist Dolores O’Riordan, in a way that both voices tend to linger with you after the song is over. It’s something you can’t recreate, a hauntingly beautiful sound that pierces the heart.

My Mind Makes Noises is a first project in the making. 14 tracks are quite a bit to work with, but the overall project falls a little flat of expectations. As a whole, the album seems to borrow a few too many themes from other artists. After singles like There’s A Honey and Television Romance, I had big expectations for Pale Waves.

To me, the band is simply finding its footing. In an internet culture so obsessed with finding the “next hot thing,” it’s easy to get overwhelmed and slip between the cracks. With some more time and perfection, Pale Waves could be the band the rest of the goth-pop, heavily eyeliner-ed bands fear.

The band has all of the necessary tools: catchy synth hooks and those easy to remember 2 line choruses. If they want to make a lasting impression, however, they’re going to need to diversify their sound a bit. With a little time and a little less obsession over having the perfect sound, Pale Waves could make big musical waves.

By Morgan Sullivan