So Long, See You Tomorrow, the latest album from English indie-rock group Bombay Bicycle Club, has given the band yet another chance to try out a new genre revolving around vocalist Jack Steadman’s longing, airy vocals.
Due to the high frequency with which the group modifies their musical approach, they’ve faced accusations of being a genre-less quasi-cover band of sorts that simply sucks the popular sounds of the time and forces them into a dubious half-hearted pop ideal. With that criticism in mind, it is important to note that Bombay Bicycle Club has established themselves as one of the more popular indie-rock bands, with all three of their albums certifying gold in the UK.
So Long, See You Tomorrow follows the band’s history of regular redefinition, but the electro-pop sounds flowing out of this album are a special kind of reinvention. Dreamy and still electric with undeniable rock beats melding with high, airy lyrics, this album is—in one word—fun. The track “Luna” is an upbeat love ballad with a contagious beat, and the use of unexpected heavy drum backing in “Carry Me” adds new definition to the album as a whole.
This album is held back primarily by its lack of a strong, signature sound. While it still establishes itself as an interesting and respectable album, its failure to make the most out of each member’s individual talents—instead tending to meld them into one hazily-defined jumble—truly limits the band’s potential.