I've Loved You for So Long

The Aces’ third album trades in the R&B leanings of 2021’s <i>Under My Influence</i> for a sound that cherry-picks from all corners of classic pop rock—from the ’80s synths of “Solo” to the Smiths-like jangle of “Girls Make Me Wanna Die” and windswept balladry of “Person”. The through line is a mix of polish and innocence that splits the difference between indie aesthetics and mainstream ones—a sound they would’ve called “alternative” in the ’90s but one that now feels both comforting and nostalgic. And with their Mormon pasts receding further into the rearview, their candour about subjects like mental health (“Always Get This Way”) and the strictures of small-town conservatism (“Suburban Blues”) sound that much more freeing.