Well, here’s to Lana. Listening to her album was a bit of a whirlwind with me disliking it one week and liking it the next. Firstly, her lyricism has grown a lot, aiming for more personal rather than the surfacey glitzy feeling of her debut. Then there is the production which is much more alternative rock leaning which is enjoyable but comes with its own set of cons. Easily, the best part of the album is how you as the listener feel like you’re going into the spiral of emotions that Lana is going through especially when the contorted guitar drowns her out or the confrontational lyrics strike the right chord.
I feel kinda bad for Jessie since everywhere I look her sophmore album is being compared as a disappointment to her beautiful debut, so i’ll try to focus entirely on the positives. She does pop really well with a great sense of variety and a seemingly subtle ‘80s influence that calls upon great acts like Sade. Her clever and romantic lyricism is still there and she managed to provide a strong variety of vocal delivery from constrained glassy vocals to more soul-influenced. You can tell that she did put her all into this but I have to admit that after hearing Tough Love (single) my expectations were very high.
If Lana isn’t polarizing, Ed certainly is. With his debut it felt like he was another flash in the pan aiming to be indie type singer-songwriter but with x I really felt like he grew into his own. The songs are clearly inspired by others before him - Pharrell, J.T, the like, but he does it so well that its worth a mention. Lyrically he tosses it up between very personal themes from addiction, death of loved ones, childhood troubles and a host of ex-girlfriends. Its an album of variety and a well thought out one at that.
I need to listen to Tough Love again but it didn't strike me as a potential grower.
To be completely honest, I could have swapped it with another album because it isn't really strong enough for me and I only really listen to Tough Love, Say You Love Me and Cruel regularly.
And so I just listened to SUCKER and wish I had listened to it earlier because it would have fit really nicely in my list. Looks like i'll have to save it for next year.
And on a similar note - iamamiwhoami just clicked with me too. Let's say those two were my honourable mentions!
Looks like i'll have to save it for next year.
Couldn't get into Tough Love.
