REVIEW: CIVIC - Chrome Dipped

For a band about as far away from Britain as possible, the Aussies in CIVIC have done a good job at serving Britpop on their third full-length project Chrome Dipped, swapping the punk grooves they have been known for to instead bring in some pensive melodies and light atmospheric touches. 

CIVIC are at their best on this album once they’re firmly into it, as their choruses and solos are their high point; title track and lead single 'Chrome Dipped' acts as a testament to that, with a generally unassuming intro turning into a matured-angst character anthem about human veneers. The vibe of the track is dark, with its whisper vocals and floor lead drumlines, while still maintaining a shoulder-shaking bounce to it that makes room for the “happy soundscape sad lyrics” energy that makes an instant hit. 

Further proof of their high points being midway through comes in the third track banger 'Gull’s Way'. It’s more of a ballad and keeps with the whisper-vocals of the single before it, this time incorporating sparkles into its soundscape; reminiscent of leapfrog books that adds to the journeying themes of the track with a thoughtful subtlety. It’s an easy track to get lost in thought into, and feels like the best of what indie rock can offer. 

The pace is picked up a little in second single 'The Hogg', which has a more punk feel and is somewhat a change of pace, but not enough to offer some variety at the almost-halfway point of the project. It is scooped up, however, by the midway track 'Starting All the Dogs Off', where we finally see the chaos that CIVIC was aiming for: from the beautifully-executed hidden snare drumline, to the utter waffle that frontman Jim McCullough is discussing in his lyrics. Some of this waffle is effective, though “I’ve got hair on the back of my neck that stands in [possibly] prints like a tiger” feels like a line used as a placeholder, until you finish writing the song that they forgot to change, and stands out in its absurdity. Nevertheless, McCullough’s cadence is addicting while the track itself builds into a male crashout anthem that fills a gap in the market. 

In side 2 of this project there is 'Amissus', which feels a somewhat new-wave inspired in its flat harmonies, gothic feeling melodies, and pining lyrics. Though the track’s meat and potatoes style sounds great ,the random slowdowns that don’t go to a changed bridge or elevated melody have become immersion-breaking, with the amount of times they happen on the project -  tracks such as 'Trick Pony' or opener 'The Fool' suffer from 30 second elements of build with little pay off, the latter placing that build at the end to stop the track abruptly that feels unnatural even when expected. In follow up 'Poison', the energy does change back to a punk feel and manages a full guitar solo at the end of its long build, and the return to a more jumpy and impassioned track, rather than the passive melodies of the last few entries into Chrome Dipped, was refreshing. 

The last three tracks of this project are among its best. The gothic energy returns in the vocal style and mixing of 'Fragrant Rice', which when paired with the maintaining of the tempo and energetic instrumentals of 'Poison' makes for a favourite on the project as a whole. 'Kingdom Come' opens emo, with the W in stone that McCullough placed when recording this track’s vocals, but apart from that brings some more of that pensive and Britpop-feel soundscapes. These do sound lovely in isolation, but the use of this slow of a build up then light riffing makes a 2:34 track feel 4 minutes long. 

Album closer 'Swing of the Noose' was a saviour for the energy, getting to it straight away with cool riffs and open hats that make it perfect for bouncing. The storytelling is effective, as are the background vocals in its second bridge, though once again the finishing solo was somewhat lacklustre - but this didn’t take away from the quality of the track to finish the project. 

Overall, the main critique of this project is that the passion that the quartet may have had for it doesn’t come across. It feels like there was a lack of comfort in providing the passion they have cultivated on their touring runs in the studio, which has inhibited them from taking risks and sending their tracks to the level they could’ve reached. This has then culminated in these runs of never quite breaking down, and vocals that sound as if they feel too cool to be giving 100% in the booth. The elements of a strong sound are there, and CIVIC get some grace as a band trying to expand their sound, but effective expansion into new soundscapes requires a commitment to new elements, and a passion for the new elements a band has learned how to play, that fails to be realised on Chrome Dipped. There is something for the indie rockers and the britpop enjoyers on here, but overall it isn’t a standout project.    

Score: 6/10

Chrome Dipped was released on May 30th 2025.

Words: Julia Brunton

Photos: CIVIC