Home » Something is missing from Lorde’s new album – Giovanni Ansaldo

Something is missing from Lorde’s new album – Giovanni Ansaldo

by admin

21 August 2021 13:43

Lorde, Oceanic feeling
In the last month, two highly anticipated pop records have arrived: Happier than ever by Billie Eilish (released July 30) e Solar power by Lorde (released August 20). These albums have two things in common: they reflect on how difficult it is to manage fame and popularity (not too original idea) and they demonstrate a certain fascination for acoustic and vintage sounds. And this is surprising, because Eilish and Lorde are respectively 19 and 24 years old. Perhaps it is a little early to stop their search and look back.

Ma se Happier than ever by Eilish manages to dose the nostalgia and gives some excellent pieces (for example Getting older e Therefore I am), Solar power shows more obvious limits. Lorde called it her “weed album”, referring to the almost hippie relaxation that glues the pieces together, and cited sixties folk-rock bands such as The Mamas & the Papas among the main influences of the new course. Rather than synthesizers and drum machines, the New Zealand singer’s songs dominate this time are guitars (mostly acoustic) and sixties choirs.

There are no particularly rhythmic pieces, everything remains rarefied, perhaps too much. You feel the touch of producer Jack Antonoff, who at times seems to seek the same smoky atmospheres created in the past together with Lana Del Rey (for example in Stoned at the nail salon) but the result cannot be the same. At times Lorde, as in the single Solar power (which brings Primal Scream to mind and leaves its mark thanks to a catchy melody) and naive Leader of a new regime, the environmentalism card is played clumsily, but remains halfway between commitment and irony.

See also  Atrophy - Asylum

Solar power it’s not a bad record. Lorde has not unlearned how to write songs, as the conclusive demonstrates Oceanic feeling, in which you finally feel a bit of tension. But he never manages to sink the blow and seems to spin around in circles waiting for the great inspiration that does not come. And how Happier than ever by Billie Eilish, has the aggravating circumstance of not looking ahead, of chasing introspection in a too forced and self-referential way. It’s true, it’s chart-topping pop, but even in pop you have to take a little risk every now and then.



Darkside, Narrow road
Nicolás Jaar puts me in trouble. Whenever he releases an album under his name or with a side project I wonder how he can find sounds so beautiful, so disturbing and difficult to replicate. Jaar’s works may be more or less successful, but they always have a recognizable imprint.

Perhaps Spiral, the new chapter of the artistic partnership with the multi-instrumentalist Dave Harrington, is not up to the previous one Psychic, released in 2013. And in fact the critics received it in a cold way, perhaps too much. Yet even this time the duo offers many ideas, builds deep spaces thanks to synthesizers, drum machines and electric guitars, creating a sort of timeless sabbath, as nostalgic (echoes of Pink Floyd come out continuously) as adventurous.

The spiral structure of the songs, the lack of climax that many critics did not like is instead an original stylistic figure. The percussion and groove work is subtle, yet masterful. Nicolás Jaar is a great artist, with the rare merit of uniqueness.



The other songs not to miss this weekend:

Jungle, Talk about itOn their new record, Loving in stereo, Jungle collaborated again with producer Inflo (Sault’s). And one of the best pieces is right Talk about it, the one recorded with him.

Joy Orbison, sparkoAfter various singles and EPs, electronic musician Joy Orbison released her first album, Still slipping vol. 1. And it’s great.

Angel Olsen, GloriaBecause Angel Olsen made an eighties cover record with inside Gloria by Umberto Tozzi (even if in Laura Branigan’s version)? Who knows, but is sympathetic.

.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Privacy & Cookies Policy