Lorde

[Matt42]

Billie had a better follow up album than lorde. Damn.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

12 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

Billie had a better follow up album than lorde. Damn.

…the difference of course being that Lorde already backed up Pure Heroine with Melodrama, to give herself some leeway for an iffy third outing. if Billie’s third album drops off as undeniably as this, she’s done. 

[Tartan_Glasto]

Melodrama was my album of 2017, so it's a bit sad to read what other people are saying about Solar Power. 

Just giving my earphones a charge then I shall give it a listen. If there's a couple more tracks like Solar Power and Mood Ring then I'll be happy but if it's more Stoned at the Nail Salon then don't know if it will be for me. 

[zero000]

Very tepid for me. It seems to lack a coherent theme and the satirising aspect of some of the songs just doesn’t hit home at all for me.
 

It all feels a bit homogenous, within the album itself and Antonoff’s other productions. The placing the microphone close to the guitar strings technique is also grating. 

[FloorFiller]

Somebody take that joint out of her mouth, stick a note up her nose and let’s fast track that next album eh? Can’t be waiting four years for a new album when I’m bored of this one already.

[Matt42]

6 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

Somebody take that joint out of her mouth, stick a note up her nose and let’s fast track that next album eh? Can’t be waiting four years for a new album when I’m bored of this one already.

Yeah I cant say I really have a desire to stick this one back on any time soon?

[jparx]

Really enjoyed it. First 6 tracks I thought we’re on to something special here. Sagged for a few tracks on the second half and just felt like it was meandering. Last two tracks ended on a high though. I think this is a grower - I’m sure people who haven’t enjoyed it right away will come around in time. I’d go 4*. The singles are all really good, then The Path, Fallen Fruit and Secrets are the standouts for me. 

Oceanic Feeling annoyed me a bit because I thought that could have been something really special to punctuate the record, but it just didn’t quite get there. Enjoyed the track but it felt like a missed opportunity for something excellent

Edited August 20, 2021 by jparx

[jparx]

52 minutes ago, zero000 said:

Very tepid for me. It seems to lack a coherent theme and the satirising aspect of some of the songs just doesn’t hit home at all for me.
 

It all feels a bit homogenous, within the album itself and Antonoff’s other productions. The placing the microphone close to the guitar strings technique is also grating. 

Strange - my main complaint of the record is she sticks too close to the main theme and too many tracks are too samey and wears thin towards the end.

I also really don’t think, whether you love the record or hate it, that it has much of anything to do with Jack. This record would sound pretty the same whoever produced it - it’s clear this is the direction she wanted to go. I don’t think this has many similarities at all to his other work aside from Lana’s last record, and that’s mainly i think because Lorde has decided to make a Lana style record.

[jparx]

2 minutes ago, Ddiamondd said:

Deep down, wry zingers like this kind of do cut through to the point.

A lot of people simply aren't arsed about 'character studies' of stoned wellness types enjoying sand beneath their toes while also ambiently worrying about climate change. Or, they might be if it wasn't set to music that fails to attain liftoff.

Critical merit is neither here nor there, it's not a bad album, just that Lorde is on a starkly different vibe wavelength to most fans picked up in the Melodrama era.

Lot of truth there I think. I think she irked a lot of people right out the gate with the marketing for this album and she’s been playing catch up ever since. If you were put off immediately by the infamous “newsletter”, this record isn’t good enough to come back from that. She’s definitely on a totally different wavelength to a lot of people right now, and I can see why that’s irritating to many. Im very much not a Californian wellness hippy type but I dunno, it’s still grabbed me. Not going to sit here and say it’s anywhere close to Melodrama, but im enjoying it, and appreciating that she’s going for very different things with each album rather than spamming what’s worked in the past.

[Baggins7]

Quite liked it on first listen, feel like it will be a grower too. I like when artists can take different directions in their sound and pull it off and that's the case here, but the disposable nature of music listening these days means I think a lot of fans of Melodrama will listen once and give up on this one.

[lighthouse]

1 hour ago, Matt42 said:

Billie had a better follow up album than lorde. Damn.

Much, much better. Much. Billie nailed it on the second one. 

[Tartan_Glasto]

Just stuck it on...I fear she may alienate some listeners referring to the strife of a teen millionaire within the first minute. 

Edit: Besides that, The Path is a pretty decent opener. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Tartan_Glasto
.

[jyoung]

33 minutes ago, jparx said:

Lot of truth there I think. I think she irked a lot of people right out the gate with the marketing for this album and she’s been playing catch up ever since. If you were put off immediately by the infamous “newsletter”, this record isn’t good enough to come back from that. She’s definitely on a totally different wavelength to a lot of people right now, and I can see why that’s irritating to many.

Melodrama and Solar Power are chalk and cheese. Café Terrace at Night is a beautiful painting but I wouldn't want to see it again only painted with different colours.

I get the reaction because a lot of people really connected with that record but don't connect with the things that she is saying and the way she is saying them now. In some instances that wouldn't necessarily matter. Thinking about it, if I'm in a gallery I might come across an artwork that I really love. If I then read the interpretation, or listened to the artist talk about the work, I might realise that I have no idea what they are talking about but that wouldn't particularly impact my experience of the work.

In this case though, there's a shared language between the the music and the promotion of it. Everything Lorde does is thematic and carefully curated. The newsletters (which I'd take with a pinch of salt), the videos and the way in which she speaks about the record, all contributes to supporting and building on the world the record creates. It just so happens that not only is it not resonating with a lot of people, it is rubbing them up the wrong way, big time.

Very good record in my opinion though.

Edited August 20, 2021 by jyoung

[Hugh Jass]

I quite like it.

Still maintain the title track massively rips off Primal Scream though.

[harryy]

i’m a massive lorde fan but reading the worst reviews has you believe this is a one note, one instrument (acoustic guitar) album and it isn’t! it’s a great record imo. 

 

also the overhating of jack antanoff feels a bit sexist to me? implying basically that all these women had no input whatsoever and are just handmaidens!!

[Hugh Jass]

The best bits of this album plus the bangers from Melodrama and Pure Heroine and you've got yourself a hell of a sub slot sir.

Edited August 20, 2021 by Hugh Jass

[Hugh Jass]

Fallen Fruit is annoying though, sounds like a truck is reversing through it.

[FloorFiller]

Just now, Hugh Jass said:

The best bits of this album plus the bangers from Melodrama and Royals and you've got yourself a hell of a sub slot sir.

I think she’s gonna play more than one song from this album though.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

2 minutes ago, harryy said:

i’m a massive lorde fan but reading the worst reviews has you believe this is a one note, one instrument (acoustic guitar) album and it isn’t! it’s a great record imo. 

 

also the overhating of jack antanoff feels a bit sexist to me? implying basically that all these women had no input whatsoever and are just handmaidens!!

Agree with this. Taylor, Annie, Lorde and Lana all have strong enough personalities that the work ought to live and die on their shoulders not his. And I’m sure they’d say the same - indeed Lorde has.

[Tartan_Glasto]

Just finished listening through. First thoughts are it's not as bad/dull as I was expecting based on what I've read.

Out of 12 tracks I would say I would listen again to around 7 of them, this included Stoned at the nail Salon which I previously wasn't into.

Mood Ring is the track of the album for me but others I enjoyed were Fallen Fruit, Secrets from a Girl and of course Solar Power. 

Can't see me having it on repeat like Melodrama but I'll defo pop it on a few more times.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

13 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

The best bits of this album plus the bangers from Melodrama and Pure Heroine and you've got yourself a hell of a sub slot sir.

1. Royals
2. Tennis Court
3. Homemade Dynamite
4. Magnets
5. Green Light
6. Perfect Places
7. Liability
8. Solar Power
9. Mood Ring
10. Stoned
11. The Path
12. California
13. Secrets from a Girl

Albeit obviously in a different order

Job done. 

 

[Zacko]

Just had my first listen. I think it's a bit of a vibe tbh.

It lacks the overall brilliance and narrative of Melodrama and sags in the middle so I can see why it's getting mixed reviews, but it has some lovely moments. 

 

[Hutchmaster]

I think it's decent, Side A is very strong but Side B it does feel like it drags a bit until the final two tracks. I reckon it'll grow on me more with a couple of listens

Am I a little disappointed this is the follow up to Melodrama after four years? Undoubtedly. Would I call it a bad album? Absolutely not.

Edited August 20, 2021 by Hutchmaster

[jyoung]

32 minutes ago, Rose-Colored Boy said:

1. Royals
2. Tennis Court
3. Homemade Dynamite
4. Magnets
5. Green Light
6. Perfect Places
7. Liability
8. Solar Power
9. Mood Ring
10. Stoned
11. The Path
12. California
13. Secrets from a Girl

Albeit obviously in a different order

Job done. 

No Supercut, no party.

[Diamond24]

Melodrama was my favourite album of the year it released, but I'm not a fan of this on first listen. There's a few good tracks, but the middle of the album is such a slog. Got tickets to the Roundhouse next year, I'm fearing that she will play the majority of this album.