The Beaches – No Hard Feelings

Label: AWAL
Released: 29th August 2025

The Beaches’ third album, ‘No Hard Feelings’ is a fizzing cocktail of sharp hooks and cheeky one-liners. Across its 11 tracks, the Canadian four-piece spin tales of messy relationships, queer heartbreak and the nights out that blur them together, all delivered with their signature mix of guitar pop brightness and punky bite.

Opener ‘Can I Call You in the Morning?’ sets the tone with jittery energy and confessional sass, its singalong venom (“I hate your boyfriends, I hate your girlfriends”) instantly making you feel part of the conversation. ‘Did I Say Too Much’ channels post-breakup confusion into something bold and cathartic, while ‘Sorry For Your Loss’ plays like a victory lap after heartbreak boot camp, and ‘Touch Myself’ explores the way grief can infiltrate even the most private corners of your life.

The record thrives on its variety of perspectives. Songs like ‘Fine, Let’s Get Married’ and ‘Takes One To Know One’ bristle with anti-romantic bite, while ‘I Wore You Better’ and ‘Dirty Laundry’ lean into playful swagger. From guitarist Leandra Earl’s vantage point, ‘Lesbian Of The Year’ offers a slower, swelling exploration of late-blooming queer identity and the contradictions that come with it. ‘Jocelyn’ is a highlight, balancing insecurity with irresistible melody, and closer ‘Last Girls At The Party’ flips the record’s heavier moments on their head, ending things with a rush of camaraderie and bright guitar lines.

While the choruses sparkle with immediacy, the lyrics rarely shy away from bittersweet truths. Heartache and self-doubt are recurring motifs, but The Beaches make them feel defiant rather than downtrodden, and that balance between bite and vulnerability is the album’s greatest strength.