If any Ellie fans, stans, or casual listeners are reading this: Hear me out instead of getting intimidated because I wrote a lot and actually listen to me instead of skimming past this long post. This won't apply to you if you actually do like Delirium, but I was on Metacritic and noticed that Ellie's new album is getting mediocre reviews from some "fans."
This may seem pretty high, but it's actually very low compared to her other two releases.
The album may not be as good as Halcyon, but it's definitely better than Bright Lights. Don't get me wrong, though; Bright Lights was, after all, the album that got me into Ellie in the first place. But she has evolved so much as an artist, which is why I don't understand why people continue to pretend as if she should still be making the same music that she released half a decade ago.
Halcyon was released over three years ago, and I was waiting for her next album to slay me harder than ever before, though I knew it'd be a challenge. Halcyon was an amazing album. Halcyon Days was great at making the wait seem shorter (and honestly, if we're counting Halcyon Days on its own as an album, it's her best by far), but I was so worried that she would disappoint and not be able to live up to her second studio album. However, she really outdid herself. Delirium is pop perfection. The only "trash" song on it is On My Mind, which is why I was hesitant to even listen to the album. But the rest of the album definitely makes it one of the most solid releases of 2015.
The general consensus seems to be that Ellie "sold out" or "went pop," but she was
always pop. It was just executed this time around. The problem is that some people seem to have convinced themselves that Ellie was supposed to be some "indie girl", which is probably because of Halcyon. Besides, Delirium is not full of trashy, run-of-the-mill pop songs with bad lyrics. There was thought and consideration put into the production of each song along with the writing, and the fact that she has released an album with 20+ songs and basically no filler is truly outstanding. Some wouldn't be able to pull that off with a 12 song album.
Additionally, the album received
great reviews from critics. It is currently rated the highest out of any of her other albums on Metacritic. They noted that it was definitely more bright and "pop" than her previous releases, but that it was solid, coherent, and thorough - and they're absolutely right. I don't know why, but some people seem to have the stigma that just because a body of work has a happy theme that it is somehow inferior, and that darker themes are "deeper" and more artistic. But there is nothing wrong with a lighthearted and fun record when the songs are actually good. Brighter themes can be just as sentimental and "artistic" as somber ones. Dark does not equal deep.
So go
buy and
stream the album.
