Reviews (page 10 of 13)
While a 3-star rating seems a bit stingy, I have a hard time warming up to Lorde's music. She's a capable writer, the arrangements are well-done, she can sing, there's not a lot to criticize... yet, I can't seem to connect. I was struck, more than once, thinking certain songs bore a compositional similarity to John Legend (not that I'm super familiar with his catalog) and I feel exactly the same about his music. I hear that it's good — very competent and professional — but it fails to move me. It also seems apparent that Lorde likes some of my favorite female songwriters — Kate Bush and Imogen Heap among them — so it's a little odd that this doesn't do the same for me. It's probably more like a 3.5, but I'm sliding down the scale on this one.
I suspect this album might grow on me. At first, I thought every song sounded too similar. I even checked once to see if we had moved on to a new song. (We had.) She changed things up a bit as the album progressed. Also her singing style seemed to change, too, which was a nice relief, as she was over-emoting a bit too much for my tastes. Anyway, the song craft was pretty decent, and a few songs leapt out at me. Not sure if this is 4-star territory for me right now, but like I said, given enough spins, I might grow to love this. I love the album cover, though.
In the trajectory that is Lorde so far, I think Melodrama is a dip in the road. You can hear she's trying to do something different but most of the songs have a similar sound with a few exceptions. Like Supercut. I love Supercut. There is something spot on between the album cover and the songs. I hope see Solar Power on this list b/c I'd say that is most certainly an album to hear before you die. Melodrama .. not so much
Just not my thing l, but Lorde is cool as far as pop goes
Mostly enjoyable whiny girl pop
Thought it was a good album actually. Really made me appreciate Lourde more. 3.5/5
she changed some small rules. Good.
The production is pretty immaculate; its style does feel a little dated somehow, but maybe because of how influential it’s been for artists like Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, and because of its own Lana influence. Not something I can throw on whenever, but clearly well made and executed. The Lorde songs I like most don’t seem to be on this album. The drama songs felt more natural to me than the major-key uplift songs. 6/10
The other songs from her are better
As far as pop music goes, this is about as good as it gets for me. The problem with pop music is that the production is always what carries the project, and that bores me pretty quickly. I really do like Lorde's voice quite a bit and would like to hear her perform with some sort of symphony orchestra or chamber group. But myself and pop are just not meant to be. Favorite track: Sober
I always like her sound! That said, the album kept falling into the background. Chill listen. Nothing id run to.
energetic, but doesn’t work for me
Easy listening, not something I would have usually listen to.
Actually liked some songs but others are bland and lack substance.
I had never listened to Lorde before. Cracking album. I love her imperfect voice and wonderful lyrics. Good listen for everyone
Arrête de lire mes review KMi! Her first album really captured the sound of teenage years, there was something really universal about it. This album is a lot more personal and. A lot less relatable for me, but rediscovering it today made me realise that it aged a lot better than her first album.
I liked it more than I thought I would, but it went on a bit too long. I'd probably listen again though.
First few songs were fairly bland, but definitely picked up for remaining songs.
Always enjoy Lorde, thought this was a very good album Although I don’t think I’d call it one I must listen to before I die
Meh
When I saw this was a 2017 album, described as “an electropop record incorporating piano-based melodies, pulsing synthesisers and dense electronic beats.” I wasn’t very enthusiastic. But the point of this project is to broaden my base, so onward! And it’s pretty decent. It is mostly melodic, which is important to me. It is well produced, and Lorde has a solid vocal style (with hint of Melonie meets Patti Smith). On the other hand: lyrically, it’s a consistently “down” album, another example of a singer baring their soul for 40 minutes. The album cover captures this, a sad looking woman (Lourde?). Lying in bed, staring blankly ahead…. I like sad songs as much as the next guy, but it gets overwhelming for a whole album. My biggest issue is the sound; almost all electronic, except for the occasional bit of piano. I looked at the Wikipedia page for this album, just to see if there were any “real” drums : Personnel section lists 11 individuals under production, and 15 individuals under technical (engineering / mixing). There are no musicians listed. None. That flies right into my preconceived notions of what “current” music is. There’s instruments in there, but they apparently don’t merit mention. Bottom line? Not my style, but very solid. I wouldn’t mind individual songs showing up on a playlist, especially the songs that feature piano. But the overall album? Probably won’t listen to it again, but might. Don’t see myself buying it though. 3/5
A little whiner
Has some interesting sounds, really enjoyed it.
63/100
Pretty, pretty, pretty good
I tried to get into this one when it came out, to little luck - I’m just outside the demographic for this. I enjoyed it more this time (I’ve embraced pop a lot more over the last six years), but…still tired of that Antonoff sound. Just so unnecessarily anthemic.
Enjoyed this album, listened to it twice. Her vocals are great, production is really good. Overall solid.
Wel goed, geen 4
Great. Not my favorite style, but still had some great picks.
Fun pop with some interesting electronic elements. Not my thing, but good for what it is. Favorite song: Hard Feelings/Loveless. 6/10
A nice pop album with some interesting textures. There are some cringey, pulled from a teen diary lyrics, but overall it works. Not something I'll probably revisit, but a fair inclusion in this list.
Good album, but no big bangers.
#2. My first thought is this would probably be best viewed through a nostalgic lens. I can imagine someone born in 2006 or so listening to this in like 2040 saying things like "Why isn't music like this anymore?" and "I wonder whatever happened to her?" or "Those were the days." I on the other hand, am a 30 or 40 year old man listening to it for the first time and all I can really think to say is "This isn't for me." It's decent as background music, but when you actually listen you realize it's just kinda ok at best. It's giving mid, no cap. Or whatever it is the kids say these days. 3/5: acceptable
I liked her first album the best
I could listen as background music, relaxing or prepping food, not for singing along
I listened to this when it was new. I really liked her earlier album (Pure Heroine) but this one didn't really hit the spot for me. Not bad, just not my style.
This was ok, not outstanding, but decent. She's got a fairly good voice and the songs we decent, it just didn't really click with me. I'll still give it a 3/5
Better album than I had expected it to be. I tend to struggle with these modern albums, at least in terms of determining whether they should be considered essential listening.
Okay- knew this one pretty well already
Surprisingly good music here. I knew she had something to her but never felt to investigate. Grateful for this listen.
Typ kul med lite mainstream musik. Kanske inte riktigt min stil och lite deppigt så där, men ändå en kul genomlyssning. Favorit: Green Light, Perfect places
Ihan kiinnostavaa, kuinka rohkeasti mennään koko levy lauluääni- ja rytmitaustojen varassa. Toivoisi, että sanoituksissa olisi muutakin sisältöä kuin Olen Erilainen Tyttö. Mutta tokalla kuuntelukerralla niitä voisi löytyä, ei ole toivotonta. Hyvä eheä tunnelma, vois olla jopa 4...?
This is good. Drifts a little bit in the middle, but a really punchy opener and plenty else to keep me interested. Definite notes of Lana del Rey in there, but it's a bit more euphoric and synthy than most of LdR's stuff. I think it just misses out on a 4 by virtue of not having a really outstanding song on it, so 3/5.
Some good stuff but I just don’t like this kinda stuff, nothing against the music or artist
it ain’t pure heroine
Pretty impressive voice on this young lady. Decent album
It’s alright.Green light is good.It’s a fine album.
Meh
La onda Taylor Swift triste ni me gusta porque todas o la mayoría de canciones las siento igual porque dice el amor que perdí xd pero la verdad nose nada que ver prefiero otro ritmo así que reconozco que es buen álbum porque los escuchados no mienten así que por lo que escuché lo puedo aprobar con un 6/10
You know what it's not bad.
I really wanted to like this but I just couldn’t find an “in”. It seemed confused and jumbled. Turns out I listened to the album on shuffle. True story.
Pretty average album, nothing really stood out and it had the same vibe the whole time.
3,5
Before today, the only Lorde song I knew was Royals. Lorde is a electropop/art pop singer from New Zealand. This is her second studio album. Lorde sounds like a shittier version of Adele, with less talent, and a more synthesizers. I don't know what it was about this album, but I just found it boring. Nothing exciting happened at all, and I feel like I spent the whole time waiting for something to. Overall, not bad, she is definately talented, it was just so bland. Not my favourite style of music. I don't understand the appeal of this new pop music. Favourite songs: Homemade Dynamite, Supercut, Green Light, Perfect Places, Liability (Reprise) Least favourite songs: The Louvre 3/5
3/5. A solid collection of pop songs, nothing too bad but not something I’m listening to a lot. Still better than normal, just not my cup of tea all the time.
green light good well known song. sober :/ homemade dynamite good. writer in the dark also good. super cut :/
Much more pop/dance music than I expected. No bad but not my cup of tea.
I feel like it's unfair for me to rate this one because I'm clearly not the target audience of Lorde. It's objectively really well-made but it just doesn't connect with me in any way.
My knowledge of younger artists is woefully bad so I am glad to see some on this list. Pretty good! I love a good pop hook.
Started off too poppy for me but was kinda liking it by the end
Not bad, works nicely as something to have on in the background when working
3.75
where is royals? it's just okay like the Beatles. homemade dynamite, hard feelings first half, writer in the dark
Not too much for teenage angst, tu a talented artist, no doubt.
Ikkje dumt
What's the deal with girls singing as if they just woke up? What's the difference between Lorde and, let's say, Billie Eilish?
good, but I like here other album better
i can’t really rate this, it sounds quite accomplished for what it is but it is just not made for me
Pretty good!
For me highlight tracks 'Green Light' & 'Sober II'
Solo tengo marcada "Supercut" como que me gusta. Tiene infinitas más escuchas que la mayoría de los discos incluidos en esta lista aunque supongo que está más relacionado con ser un album reciente que con su trascendencia. A "Supercut" como mejor canción para mí de este disco añadiría "Sober", "The Louvre" y "Liability". No esta mal.
A bit too heavy for my mental state at the time. Pretty but very sad
To me it sounds a lot like Taylor Swift.
Recently listened to Pure heroine, such a good debut album. This is such a great follow up to that album. Glad to be a Kiwi with artists like this
Perhaps the lightest three I've given on this generator. It generally is just generic pop music, with moments that help it stand out. That production feels like every other song in the era, though, which really does not help it. The best thing when it comes to this album is the art, which I cannot deny is gorgeous. Just wish it was attached to something a bit more interesting.
Expectedly angst.
Eh, it's alright. Good pop to start off with a green light but I got a bit bored with too many slower ballady ones after. Writer in the Dark stands out from those but mainly because it sounds like Kate Bush. Haven't heard the debut, I listened to Solar Power a few times when that came out and enjoyed it, but there were several weaker tracks on that too. In fact often the Maori rework versions she did were loads better, for me. Anyway I'm not the target audience here so it gets a 3 and I move on.
great poet, music is disposable.
I usually hate this kind of breathy vocal style that’s really popular these days but Lorde does a better job here than I thought. It’s a more straightforward pop album than I was expecting but still has some more unique moments. It won’t blow you away but was ok.
Lorde sounds like an angsty teen with a story about a drivers license and talks all slowly to tell her stories. If Lorde was the ‘original’ artist to sound like this, then I suppose this album has a reason to be here. 3.1/5
It’s okay but a little pop heavy for me, still seems better than normal pop record tho
3.75
Poppy, catchy, not my style, but not terrible.
Het is popmuziek dus ik kom er goed doorheen. Dit soort hijgend zingende, op foto's altijd moeilijk kijkende meisjes met diepzinnige, kwetsbare liedjes op langzame, goed geproduceerde beats zie je natuurlijk vaker. Nieuw-Zeeland heeft Lorde, wij hebben Froukje. Op dit album krijg je wat Eurovision Songfestival ('Green Light', 'Supercut'), de verplichte trap-beat ('Sober II (Melodrama)') en wat huismerk Björk ('Writer in the Dark'). Niks mis mee, maar wel altijd leuk om er een beetje op af te geven.
Yeah I can definitely see the appeal. If I were an 18 year old girl leaving home for the first time, I bet this album would have such a life-affirming, eye-opening effect on me. Euphoric The songwriting is within pop music boundaries, but the album sounds REALLY good, as far as production and quality goes Favorite track: The Louvre, Liability, Perfect Places
A lot of the tracks had a similar/mellow flow to them. No ebbs and flows to the energy, which made the tracks almost blend into each other. Probably not an album I would add to the rotation.
Good
PREFS : Green Light, The Louvre, Hard Feelings/Loveless, Supercut, Perfect Places MOINS PREF : Homemade Dynamite
I'm sure if I were to listen to this a few more times I'd find a lot to like. Do I feel inspired to listen to it a few more times? Probably not. The production is good. Sometimes the vocal delivery is a bit annoying but sometimes it's really nice.
Genre: Pop Review: Lorde has a powerful voice with wonderful range, akin to the likes of Adele and Aretha Franklin. For someone her age to put out music like this is something special indeed. That said, it's not exactly my type of music. Still, I do appreciate good music and musical talent, and she's got it in droves. Rating: 6/10
Not my style, but a well put together album.
It’s a good Pop album. Lorde is dark but also has her witty moments on this as well. The singles bang but I also enjoyed Liability and Supercut. What I really like about Lorde is her delivery, kinda slacker like, with vocal quirks, it just makes her standout. Good stuff 3.5 stars
Pretty solid pop album, didn't necessarily grab me too much, but pleasant enough.
Overall it's not something I would normally be into, but it's really well-made and the songwriting is not bad.
Best Song: Green Light. This song fucking rocks. The piano is fantastic, the backing vocals bring the energy, and Lorde's sultry voice fits very well in the main stage. Worst Song: The Louvre. Sounds like a Taylor Swift song, but like in a bad way. Overall: This album had such a strong start that I was ready to love it, but a fairly weak middle section left me feeling significantly less excited for it. Although it ended on a fairly high note, the middle was far too placid, ordinary pop music that sat in this superficially melancholic space without seeming to actually plumb all that much lyrical depth. I would have preferred a whole album of pop bangers like Green Light, or a more headlong dive into sadness.
I was at a 3 initially, but probably got to a 3.5. Think I’d appreciate this more on repeat listens. On the surface it sounds like boring electropop, but after a few listens the layers reveal themselves. I also eventually got over the way she pronounces words in this baby talk style. Green Light is an absolute banger, and the production on the album overall is very strong.
14th feb, Janine kitchen again, mountains and porridge, another clear day.
3.5
Not even lorde can make me tolerate jack antinoffs production style. I like when she sounded like Kate bush.
For a pop album I thought it was pretty good. Love Jack Antonoff, sounds a lot like Jack Antonoff. Jack Antonoff could’ve done it better.
very average pop album. nothing special about it. if anything its just boring
This was just alright - I always found Lorde to be a bit pretentious. First song I've heard before but her music is the stuff teenage girls would listen to and this is, needless to say, not my demo. Plus I can't stop thinking about that CRINGY video of her shushing her audience so she can sing horribly a capella. 6/10.
I think this is better than a lot of pop music I hear on the radio, but it's still nothing special to me. I do like a lot of the instrumentation and themes. Her voice can get grating at times. I think the album cover is probably the best thing about this album. I wouldn't seek it out, but I'd be fine with this playing on the radio. My favourite song is Writer in the Dark.
Probably worth higher rating but i'm not a fan of her voice and the music is not that exciting. It just ok.
Really decent this - not sure I'd listen again but she's clearly very talented.
Good Lorde
Solid 3 and green light is a great track.
Positives: surprising depth to the lyrics and themes; she has a unique and interesting voice and vocal styling Negatives: the synth arrangements date this horribly - you can tell it's a 2010s record (oh, the dude from Fun. wrote most of the music, that explains it...); it doesn't distinguish itself enough from other pop acts on the radio - the only way I know this isn't, say, Grimes or Lady Gaga is that her vocals are pretty unique.
A dance pop album with solid production that sounds great in headphones. There are a couple of major points that prevent the album from keeping my interest. The otherwise solid vocal performance suffers from trendy cursive singing style. Further, there is not much to distinguish the music from Billie Eilish or Lady Gaga.
I rather enjoyed this modern music. There's definitely a Greatest Showman vibe to the song construction and production. A very 2017 sound - lots of snare, crowd vocals and woooaaaas. Time will tell how it will age, but in the here and now, I liked it. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Green Light Date listened: 18/01/23
Альбом, так сказать, позитивный, но не мое. Зашли пару аранжировок и текстов, но суммарно понимаю крутоту всех оставшихся, но таки 3+
Helt decent/bra
Först och främst, vilken perfekt albumbild, absolut bland de allra bästa! Tyvärr lever inte albumet helt upp till covern, fast det har sina sidor. Jag gillar mycket av själva musiken och vissa coola ljud (samples eller någo dom koka upp själva idk) som finns i mixen. Den hyperstädiga inspelningskvaliteten funkar också, melodierna är catchy och jag såg ofta fram emot vart låtarna musikaliskt skulle gå. Mitt problem ligger med lyricsen och Lordes sångröst. Ingendera får mig att känna något annat än en mild irritation ibland, bortsett Writer in the Dark som går hårt. Ingen av låtarna är heller lika bra som Royals, fast writer in the dark som sagt är cool. Melodrama är i zonen var jag inte har något alls emot att lyssna på det, men ändå inte frivilligt skulle sätta på mer än en sång från skivan igen.
To be completely honest I thought I liked this album more then I ended up actually. The first song, Green Light, is always one of my most played so right off the bat I was happy- also with knowing Homemade Dynamite and Supercuts I was excited. But after listening to the whole album I realized that her voice can actually be very obnoxious. Those three songs are most known because to be honest they’re the least annoying. Don’t get me wrong- I still like it and I do know she has a good voice but the cursive style is not my favourite.
It's a little surprising that such a relatively recent album is on the list but I welcome it - it's nice to jump from early 70s to 50(!) years later and listen to how popular music has progressed. This is a great *sounding* album - there's a lot going on even in the simpler songs - e.g. "Writer In The Dark" seems like a simple piano ballad but there are subtly layered vocal tracks, orchestra samples that bolster a chord here and there - these are little things that make a track huge and I love it. I'll say it but not harp on it but Lorde uses a lot of "that affect" where she scrunches her vowel sounds - think of adding an "i" into words (e.g. "another" becomes "anoiither"). It's hard to turn my brain from that. I guess...I am harping on it? :P OK pivoting to something positive - in a lot of better places I get a Kate Bush vibe (e.g. "Supercut" especially in the refrain "...supercut of us...") I'm not sure how I feel about the album overall in terms of how much this sticks - or will stick with me. I was familiar with a few of the songs before listening ("Green Light" in particular - which is a compelling single) and yet it's just so dense in a modern production sense that even while it's interesting it's still hard to immediately connect with it. I think in the end while I do like it and recommend / would listen again I feel like it could have done with a bit more organic sound that would work well with Lorde's voice. 7/10 3 stars.
I like Lorde. None of these were slaps, but was fine to listen to. Interesting. She's got a distinct style.
I thought it was all around okay
i had never listened the whole album before and it probably helped me confirm that this is not my go to music genre. favorite song : writer in the dark but perfect places is the perfect song to listen with full volume during car rides lorde’s voice type is not my thing and i really hated homemade dynamite
Good, but lorde still can’t match pure heroine again
I can see now that T. Swift and Lorde are friends.
I was thinking Taylor Swift totally ripped off the sound of this but I checked and it’s actually Jack Antonoff ripping himself off
Lorde's second album Melodrama is a solid effort that showcases the young singer's growth and evolution as an artist. The album's lead single, "Green Light," is a catchy and infectious track that perfectly captures the excitement and energy of youth. The album's other standout track, "The Louvre," is a more introspective and emotionally resonant song that showcases Lorde's ability to craft complex and nuanced melodies. Overall, Melodrama is a solid addition to Lorde's discography. The album's production is top-notch, and Lorde's vocals are as powerful and captivating as ever. While not all of the tracks on the album hit the same highs as "Green Light" and "The Louvre," the album as a whole is an enjoyable and satisfying listen. If you're a fan of Lorde or pop music in general, Melodrama is definitely worth checking out.
Man, I'm disappointed. I only knew Green Light off this album and always quite liked it. I thought I would really enjoy this album. It was... okay? Pop doesn't have to be fun, and it doesn't even need to be very original. But it needs some ideas. It's like... Whenever there's a clever line in one of these songs, I'd find myself impressed and paying attention. And then immediately that line is just repeated as an incredibly weak hook. The passes/champagne glasses rhyme is cute! Don't make it your entire song!!! Come up with a chorus!!! Stop running out of ideas so fast!!! Fuck!!! And like, I still halfway enjoyed it. There have been worse albums, so it's going down the middle.
This is the Lorde album that passed me by. It isn't Pure Heroine that's for sure.
Overall this album felt pretty generic to me musically, although Lorde's vocals never disappointed, however Liability, Sober II (Melodrama), and Writer in the Dark are exceptional and honestly deserved to be on a stronger album
Hmm, not bad for pop music I guess. Nothing that would make me want to choose to listen to it, but I didn't dislike it while it was playing. 2.5/5
I remember trying Lorde’s first album when it came out and found it drowsy and monotonous, while every bit I’ve seen from her showed an attitude I did not care for. So I never got around to her follow-up, even though I hear that it’s better. It is, but I’m still not a fan of her sound, or Jack Antonoff’s, whose backlash seems to have been a longtime coming even if he is by all accounts solid. A couple of good moments here and there almost make me change my mind- “Green Light” is a banger- but I don’t have a lot of use for this otherwise. Would take it over Taylor or Lana any day of the week, though. Gonna round up to a C
Lorde has an incredible voice and writes some catchy tunes. The production is crystal clear and perfect, but I definitely miss a scratch or smudge on the very polished surface. A pleasant listening experience, but nothing stays with me.
Decent.
I don't like the overdramatic tone of Lordes singing. Not bad, not good.
Lorde Lorde Lorde I am Lorde
An a-ok listen
I thought I hated Lorde's songs. Turns out I don't, at least on this particular record. Guess I just needed to spend a little more time with those tunes to actually appreciate them for what they are. By the way, I've also tried doing that with *Pure Heroine* and *Solar Power*, the two records bookending this one, but it's still not working for me. The first was way too amateurish in its production (a clear flaw for such blatantly "commercial" records), and even though it pointed towards the future when it comes to gritty teenange female pop singers, it didn't have anything that Billie Eilish didn't do ten times better almost ten years later. Sometimes too soon is too soon, even if your heart is in the right place. As for *Solar Power*, it was clearly lackluster in terms of hooks and overall energy. And just like her very first record, it didn't have nearly enough good songs in it to justify being included on that sort of list.. And yet, oddly enough, I quite like *Melodrama*. Maybe it's Jack Antonoff's input as a producer and co-writer that's doing wonders here. Admittedly said input doesn't work all the time, as *Solar Power* proves it. Yet the man is still able to dig gold when he guides or counsels all those hip female pop singers, from Lana Del Rey to St Vincent (to which you can add Taylor Swift depending on the project at hand). Or maybe the *real* charm here is Lorde's self-deprecating personality seeping through those songs, and the way the latter's choruses consequently sound both earnest, strong even, while retaining something very fragile in them, paradoxically. I'm not surprised some listeners compared her work on this album to the one of Kate Bush. Both artists seem to have the same sort of ambiguity here, even if Bush is obviously the most talented artist of the two. In a similar line of thought, the Kiwi singer's very original delivery of certain key moments is another strong asset on those tracks. No one can sing like Lorde, with that strange drawl that seems to let her play around the beat as if she was half-drunk yet still very energetic and awake. Somehow, I feel such voice thwarts pop conventions a little, even with the pristine production shenanigans that Antonoff applies to it. Add to this a devastating piano ballad about facing yourself in the mirror such as *Liability* (foretelling Taylor Swift's *Anti-Hero*, just released as those lines are written), among many other similar examples of effective personal confessions, and you have quite a satisfying and even *complete* mainstream pop album. Oh, and one shouldn't forget a few endearing, borderline-comical moments sprinkled throughout this record. Like when Lorde announces things are "really gonna blow" in *Homemade Dynamite*, only for the music to suddenly stop so that she can let out a ridiculous and childish imitation of a wet firecracker going off. Or when she half-confidently states about her and her lover : "We're the greatest / They'll hang us in the Louvre / Down the back, but who cares--still the Louvre", and this in sudden singspeak *nicely* taking you out of the song for one second. To be honest, I quite agree with Lorde's meta-assesment of her own worth here. And so, consequently... Number of albums left to review: 747 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 124 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 63 (including this one--down the back, probably, but still in *my* list of the best 1001 albums ever) 😉 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 67
It doesn't seem so essential to me.
Ok pop album, wouldn't call it my favourite but is quite easy to listen to
Good album.
Interesting voice and style combined with pop music.
One of the downsides to streaming services is everything has to have some arbitary genre metadata attached to it. This album is categorised as ‘alternative/indie’ which is like labelling Peter, Paul and Mary as Death Metal. It’s Pop - and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe the best way judge it is ‘would you drag your friends away from this if it was playing at a festival?’ As much as I’d love to say yes, I’d be lieing. It’s perfectly fine.
More of a wordsmith then I gave her credit for
I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would and Green light is a banger of an opening track that gets turned up loud in our car... I had to check there wasn't a pigeon stuck up our chimney when listening to Sober - there was a background note that sounded like a 'coo' and had me really confused for a bit. Would pop on again as a bit of background working music but probably wouldn't 'listen' to it
I thought it sounded a bit generic, which is to say it’s not really my thing. But when the pop gimmicks were stripped back the songs were amazing. ‘Liability’ is easily the stand out song on the album and an immediate favourite of recent years. The Bush-esque (Kate not George) ‘Writer In The Dark’ is the only other song I enjoyed.
Rating: 4.0 Best Track: Liability
Nowhere near as good as her debut
Professional but samey and dull
Personality disorder aside it is Thematically consistent. Well produced. She has good vocals. It just got a bit repetitive.
Not that much to say, but I liked it.
Not bad but I'm much too old for this type of music.
I'm a big fan of "Royals" so I actually found this to be somewhat generic and disappointing. At its best, she sounds a lot like Halsey, but not quite as good as Halsey. Put Halsey on this list instead.
Realizing now that this is where *all* the millennial singer-popwriter molds have been cast. From the mumblecore lyricism to the busy dancing-on-my-own production, this album conjures up all the dreams of clubland melancholy. While this isn't For Me per se, I'm down with the vibe. Get in loser, we're going crying.
Far from the minimalism of the incredible "Royals", the only Lorde song that I know, but the elegance is still there. I love the production and the feels -- young person energy -- but it's ultimately generic as far as these "sad girl" pop songs go. And I say this as someone who is currently obsessed with such songs lately.
I am lorde, I am lorde, ya ya ya. Great alternative pop album. Definitely a unique sound, but not really my type of music.
i like this album. her peak??? liability 10/10
Idk lorde is sometimes a little boring and it makes it hard to finish the song
Wouldn't have chosen to listen to this but quite pleasantly surprised. Some catchy songs and was chilled in parts to be able to have as background listening
I’m vaguely familiar with Lorde, but never listened to a full album. - Green Light – Starts out as a bitter breakup song with “girl and her piano” instrumentation. Percussion and poppier sound comes in later. She’s got a nice voice. This is a very up-and-down song, both in tone and my opinions. I like the Chorus and the Refrain, the verses are mixed, and I don’t like the tone change on the pre-chorus. On the whole, despite the parts I don’t like, ti’s high tier pop with good production. - Sober – This one starts a little more active and drops down for the first chorus. The horns and varied, stripped back instrumentation is really nice. I don’t like the bridge though. The rest of the song is great. So, this one is two thirds great, and one third bad. - Homemade Dynamite – Don’t like the chorus here. The verses are quite good though. - The Louvre – Continues the obsessive relationship documented in the rest. This one treats the relationship like an art museum: beautiful, but now just history. The beat and build in the chorus is solid, though the end of the chorus really is a letdown. The post-chorus is also not good. Second verse is great. Another very mixed song with some fantastic parts and some parts I really don’t like. Outro is a nice little instrumental. - Liability – the one song that I previously had saved. The most stripped down and saddest song. Also the most melodramatic track on an album called Melodrama, lol. Doesn’t have the highest highs, but is the one tafck so far that doesn’t have any parts I straight up dislike (except maybe the weird e-eh-a-na-na-everyone thing). - Hard Feelings/Loveless – A two part song. Part 1: Hard Feelings is essentially a flashback to the breakup discussed in Green Light. A decent part, though I don’t like the weird dissonant sounds before the outro. Like, I actually hate them. Part 2: Loveless, is a much darker and more intense take on things, with a driving beat and lyrics that are both sincerely promising to mess up her lover’s life and mockingly calling her generation loveless. It’s artistic, but I don’t’ like it. I get what it’s going, but the bad parts really drag it down for me. - Sober II (Melodrama) – A clear continuation of Sober. Basically, Sober is the party, Melodrama is the feeligna fter the party ends and you’re loading the dishwasher with dishes that reek of alcohol. It’s a decent effect to go for, but as a track it’s not great to listen to. - Writer in the Dark – A decent track, but not one I’d listen to again. Some of the vocalization is weird and offputting. - Supercut – A reflection of the fact that the idealized view of her relationship only recalls the highlights (like a supercut), not all the nitty-gritty details. It’s bouncier song and both positive and soberly introspective. I like this one quite a bit. Some sick bass in the last refrain series. Great both as a singel and in context. - Liability (reprise) – A general realization of the lessons learned from the previous tracks. - Perfect Places – Essentially a bonus track as the narrative finishes with the previous track. It’s about using drugs, partying, alcohol, and sex as an escape from the harships of reality. Doesn’t further the album, but it’s a solid standalone song. In general, the pacing and production on these is great. I like the stripped back instrumentation. The beats are nice too. However, there’s parts of most songs that I don’t like. Mostly, it’s jarring tone shifts or setup that doesn’t lead to payoff. The record is called Melodrama, so clearly the overdramatic moments are being used for effect, but some of them are still a bit much. On the whole, the buildup of themes is well done, and it’s a pretty good exploration of the obsessive nature of love and the pain of breakups, highlighting the excessive drama of them for artistic effect. There’s enough lower moments, that I’m not quite comfortable giving it a 4, I don’t think. It’s really a 3.5 but I can’t give half stars, so it’s a 3. Trop Tracks - Green Light – Some small parts I dislike, but a solid pop tune. - Sober – Everything prior to the bridge is great. - Liability – Great introspective melodrama track. - Supercut – Got bounce. Great bass in outro. - Perfect Places – Solid standalone track that’s a bit separate from the rest of the album.
Less clever and more teen angst and relationships than the first album, but grew on me on the second trip through
Sounds good for a modern sound, but u can't say anything beyond that. This is in the same realm as taylor swift pop music, so it sounds really samey to me. Overall, I don't hate I just think it's okay.
Luistert lekker weg, beetje poppy wel. Ken Liability van een serie (Euphoria), wel mooi liedje. Verder niet echt iets wat is blijven hangen, hou wel van Lorde's stem
Her voice is nice and the production is cool but gets a bit dull on an active listen. Doesn't really have many outstanding moments. Works nice as background music and I can imagine this is an album you could get more into when getting to know it better.
I can recognise a well put together record, with more to offer than just the radio hits. However, she's just not for me.
Liked it more than I expected. Probably not something I'd actively listen to, bit good background music.
Great sound. Lorde still not one of my favorite. Pure Heroine is probably the better overall album.
Liked this more than i expected to.
super-plus good
her stuff is okay
p948. 2017. 3 stars Kiwi Pink wannabee but without the songs. Sharp lyrics, which is a plus, but a long of the songs blur into one another. It's OK, but not great.
An emotional listen to say the least. Would be perfect after a heartbreak or a breakup. Outside of that and its a heavy but decent album with some great songs. Not a favourite but a notable one.
This was very enjoyable. I’d never listened to her before !
Not bad, not my fav but enjoyed it enough
There are a lot more annoying pop albums than this one out there.
Enjoyed more than I expected, moody and stuff, but nicely put together
Some good tracks but some slower ones drag
Meh, remember it being better.
it was an ok pop album
Another weird choice, this album was definitely a bit of a sophomore slump for Lorde as it didn't really live up to Pure Heroine... an album that was decent but carried mostly by the strength of its singles. Still, this is more memorable than Lana Del Rey, as I noted in a recent review of hers. There are a lot of these not-quite-art-pop-but-more-serious-than-bubblegum-pop pop artists who came out in the last decade and they all kinda hit that "eh, it's all right" note for me. In the 90s these singers would all be filed away under the "adult contemporary" label, so it's weird to me that the majority of them are aimed at teenage girls these days - I think Adele is the only one aimed squarely at the white wine and ice cream crowd. Maybe I'm just a boomer, but it's weird to me that what the kids are into is comparable to the blandest music of my generation.
I like a few of the songs. Not my favorite album ever or anything though.
I’ll take Lorde over a similar artist like Billie Eilish any day. Her voice is unique and works best for me on her least poppy tracks. I’d heard most of these songs but never the album in full. Solid album.
Probably a good album but not my cup of joe
Good pop album. Starts off good with “Green Light” and follows through with a series of decent background music.
nice
Curiosamente nos tocaron muy al hilo tres de las cosas mega populares del último lustro y Lorde se queda a la mitad entre lo pop ultra explosivo y comercial de Tay Tay y las miniaturas überdetalladas de Lana. La verdad es que es también pop muy bien hecho, solo no está diseñado para la fiesta y los cantos en estadios, sino para otro mood.
Nice sound
Twas grand.
Was hoping to enjoy it more. Pop, nice synths, but not much in any other department.
I felt the vocal processing wasn't too bad on this album. Lorde's unique vocals still were able to come through. The comments for a lot of the songs online were WAY too gushy for songs that quite frankly, were very generic. They didn't move me one way or the other. Neither hate or love. They were mostly... forgettable. Moving on.
Lorde's sophomore album Melodrama is a decent follow up to Pure Heroine. The lyrics seem personal and the song-writing isn't bad. The album didn't connect that much with me though. Maybe I'm getting old ("Get off my lawn, you damn kids!") I still think "Royals" is one of the catchiest pop songs written in the past 10 years though and have a lot of respect for her as an artist. This is just an album that I thought was average and with all of the great music out there probably wouldn't find myself coming back to since it didn't connect with me.
She's got a way with a sly melody as well as bangers (Green Light). State of the art pop. 3.5 if they did half-stars.
I don't know what the thing is called when singers kinda twist, roll and truncate the words at the end of their lyrical phrases - but I can't stand it! "I do my makeup in, somebody else's cahw We order different drinks at the same bahws etc..." It's this sort of exaggerated baby talk that you see all over tik tok videos. It took me a while to get past that "technique" enough to consider what I really thought about the album. Contrary to what the pop-forward veneer might suggest, the lyrical content tackles some pretty series subject matter. The songs look past the buzz to the hangover, and past the honeymoon to when the infatuation has worn off. I appreciate that a musician that is getting hundreds of millions of plays on Spotify is willing to go there. Hopefully people who hear these lyrics and they create some awareness and emotional space for those whom their own introspections are missing or repressed. As for the music, it's alright, but not really great (for my tastes anyhow). Nothing about it really gives me goose bumps or intrigues me all that much. It a generally subdue backtrack that stays mostly hidden below and beneath Lorde's performance.
When Royals was on every radio station around the world, I found it a cut above the typical pop music fare, more depth and intensity than most pop songs in my view. I was surprised that the album chosen for this list didn't contain the mega hit, but Melancholy is a good album. I don't on first listen hear anything that hits me the way Royals did, though Green Light comes close and Writer in the Dark is a really interesting track as well. This is more of a pop album than Royals would have led me to believe which has more of an indie-rock aesthetic but as pop music goes I again hear more depth and song writing chops. Very close to a 4 star album but I'm going to err on the conservative side; 3.5 🌟
Never had listened to any Lorde except the first track. Feels a bit one dimensional and I didn't wanna finish it, but it's fine.
Enjoyed it!
Lorde lorde lorde
I really respect her authenticity in an era of overproduction and formulaic pop. As well as seeing how influential she was on artists like Billie Eilish. The sound is not my cup of tea but I do respect it.
Enjoyable album that is a great atmospheric experience. It does however lack standout songs besides Green Light and thus fails to impress me enough for 4 stars
Nice
Good but a bit repetitive
Gledo sam African Lore na tiktoku nisam stigo. E svidio mi se više čak neg šta sam očekivo od Lorde
Not something I would come back to, but I do like Lorde's voice. And it was nice listening to something newer.
Lorde has, up to now, pretty much completely eluded me. She undoubtedly has a nice way with a one-liner and this is pretty good at what it is, it's just that what it is isn't really something I particularly enjoy all that much. I'm currently half way through and feeling a bit restless. To be fair, it ended quite strongly.
Alveg móment hérna, en ég er ekki að tengja neitt svakalegt. Fínt. Næsta plata.
Surprised me a bit.
As far as modern music goes, on the pop side of things, I like it
Decent
Unique sound. Not in love with the vocals.
Good album, never really listened to lorde oustide of her hits but guess ive been sleeping
Music doesn't do much for me. It was playing, but it didn't capture my attention so I wasn't listening very carefully. I'll give an extra star for the cover artwork which I like, much better than the music on the album.
Raw vocals. Like it. country music with vocals. love it.
Tja...viel Reverb, und das trägt auch erst mal so 2½ Songs lang. Dann aber auch irgendwie nicht mehr. Songscheiberisch mittelmäßig bis gut. Ganz schlechte 3.
I heard Royals when it came out and I thought it was a promising song; I then did something that I very often do to no avail: I bookmarked Pure Heroine as an album to listen to later on. To this day, I haven't taken the time to do so. Fast forward a few years and Melodrama comes up as part of the challenge. It's her second album but it's the first one I heard from her. I couldn't really connect with this album. It's all really nice sounding and pleasant to the ears, but I can't find that particular characteristic that makes me go ouff. It is a sad realization for me that millennial pop sounds all the same to me. It's like those old grumpy people back in the 80s who used to say "Punk sounds all the same", and I vowed never to become someone like that. Only that, after listening to this, I did take the time to listen to Pure Heroine, and I liked it very much. I guess I just don't like mature records.
A little too pop-y for me, but it was solid.
It's ok I suppose and with half a billion listens in Spotify who can argue? She's midway between Bjork and Billie Eilish with some interesting tracks going on. I'd definitely listen again a few times to this before deciding. Very well produced and professional job all around.
Yeah. It's a'right.
I was quite pessimistic when this came up, Having little knowledge of Lorde - I'd kind of written her off as yet-another-2010s-20-something-singer-songwriter - and with an album called Melodrama, I expected to be bombarded with low-key perpetual teenage angst. I kept telling myself to stop being such an old man and give it a chance... so I did, and it was alright, something my teenage daughter would enjoy more. I was glad when it ended. On the upside, I think the artwork is great.
Oh, Lord
Ok for a pop album, but really not needed on that list
I'm Lorde! I'm Lorde! I'm Lorde!
One step up from Taylor Swift and two steps up from Ariana Grande, but certainly not revolutionary, and it is debatable who should get credit, since most of the appeal comes from the arrangements. But i like it (6/10) FT: Liability
Non male l'inizio, con 'Green Light', abbastanza conosciuta. Bel mood, testi non banalissimi, una visione di insieme definita e anche una bella copertina. Si perde un po' dopo 'Liability'. Sono indeciso tra 3 e 4.
2nd February 2022 Started listening on the living room speaker with Jen while working at the kitchen table. Finished on the way to the gym. Neil came round in the evening for catan with victor. Jen won. A bit melodramatic for me but I can see the appeal for young listeners.
Kinda weird, but interesting.
I used to listen to Lorde when I was a teen and listening to this album made me question why I'd stopped! Very good, her energy is so unique. And I always appreciate a album with a nice and round atmosphere :)
This album's a bop. Really enjoyed it.
I was not expecting this album to ever make this list but here we are. I'm more than happy to enjoy the change of pace we have been getting (not a 60's british band). While I wasn't a huge fan of this album, enjoying her debut much more, there are some great songs on here like Greenlight and Supercut. Lorde was stretching her wings on this album but it seemed like she was almost closing herself in. A lot of the beats on her first album felt much bigger and the lyrics felt very deep but this just felt like a watered down version of that but it's on this list so people must really like it.
Found it hard to get into will revisit in a week or so but u h washed over me. It was pleasant enough but I think I need to spend more time to fully get it
Tranquilo de escuchar. Buena voz. Contemporáneo. Pop
Nice
Rating: 6 /10
Lorde is a really good singer but it is like all of her songs are the same
Hey, an album I know and like!
Meh
I think Lorde is really interesting. I like the sparse arrangements. It's about the space between the notes as much as it is about the notes themselves. Good stuff. 3 stars.
Very forgetful
inte min musik men ändå ganska go känsla
Pitchfork electro pop.
Saved Prior: Green Light Off Rip: The Louvre, Liability, Writer In The Dark Cutting Edge: Supercut Overall Notes: I distinctly remember when this album was released and how rapturous the reviews were. I also remembered Liability (found it boring), Green Light (loved it), Homemade Dynamite (did not like it), and Perfect Places (also did not like it) getting radio play on Alt Nation. It was not enough for me to want to check this album out then. While my music taste has matured since then, I still found most of this album eh. You can see the influence she had on massive modern pop stars like Billie Eilish, but I much prefer her debut album Pure Heroine on a song by song basis, even if this is a more complete album experience. Weak 3.
Prety good pop. Not really my kind of music, but I can appreciate it.
Not bad, but not something I’ll go out of my way to listen to. Just glad this one is over. It made me sleepy.
Track 01 - 1.5/5 Track 02 - 2.75/5 Track 03 - 3/5 Track 04 - 3.25/5 Track 05 - 3.5/5 Track 06 - 2.5/5 Track 07 - 3.75/5 Track 08 - 4/5 Track 09 - 2.75/5 Track 10 - 3.5/5 Track 11 - 2/5 Overall: 3/5 Album Art: 3/5
7/10
More of Jess’ bag but she thinks Lorde is a lil witch beyond her years
Liked it 3*
Liked this. Some strong songs others not so. Not the strongest of singers.
3 stars so far.
Bolan's best album
More modern pop - at least this one has some songs of better quality and isn't relying on auto tune and drum machines all the time. I mean, the tunes still sound like the type of songs teenagers put over a photo compilation of their summer but I've heard worse. Came in dreading this after the choices of previous pop albums but was actually pleasantly surprised. I Best Tracks: Green Light; The Louvre; Liability
P o p music +
Erster Eindruck: klingt formelhaft, von Komposition und Produktion und Text - die aktuell übliche ganz große, hybride Pop-Nummer. Bisschen edgy, bisschen knackig sparsam UND wahnsinnig opulent (I know …). Wer und wann hat diese Sounds eigentlich mal angefangen? Timbaland bei Aaliyah? Werden wir das hier noch erfahren? Erster charming Moment: das hinterhergefragte „of a boy?“ in Louvre. Überhaupt: ganz charming, wird nach hinten raus auch nicht schlechter. Schön, das gehört zu haben; hat trotzdem kein tieferes Interesse geweckt. 2,7.
Soulful yet poppy, energetic and sad at times. I can see a couple of potential anthems here for the right set (of which I'm too old to be a part).
She's clearly a good musician and songwriter, but it all just felt kinda bland. Like slightly unusual indie pop wallpaper. I'd be interested to hear more of her different albums, I've heard other tracks which I preferred to most of this
Altijd behoorlijk onder de indruk geweest van haar debuut plaatje, maar deze is toch minder leuk. Iets te veel 'teen-lyrics' en iets minder spannende zang.
Mja, niet slecht maar iets te poppy.
Some qualities of Robyn and Taylor Swift, just not a comprehensive thumbs up, although kudos for being so young, yet so mature.
leuk, niet zo speciaal, zou het wel opzetten als er volk is ofzo
It's fine, a 3. Felt a little like what I consider to be generic pop music, which is likely not fair but what can I say.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Good pop music all the way through.
Well produced. Not my taste.
Wasn't blown away, but Lorde has such a unique voice anything she does is going to sound cool.
Solid pop album with some catchy songs and thoughtful lyrics. Not really for me.
Nice album
Easy listening
Lorde channels the feeling of not wanting to get out of bed because you’re still depressed about the heartbreaking finale to Euro 2020 and parlays that into sweeping, epic pop. The moody, melancholic stylings of her early work take on a grandeur and sweep here; you can’t help but be carried along by the flashes of light and the brooding in the dark - as England were carried all the way to the final on a wave of robust and flexible organisation, and were a matter of inches from winning the entire tournament. Listening to this now, four years later, one feels this is not yet the zenith of Lorde’s considerable powers, merely an exciting glimpse of what is yet to come, if she stays the course. Similar to Engla- etc etc.
Słuchałam ją jakiś czas temu, bez większego wrażenia
This is one of those cases where I don't really like the music, but I can appreciate that it's good music.
melodramatic indeed. pop laments that catch some feels. album breezed by
Haven't heard this album. Most of the songs have a familiar, comfortable feeling. I like when a new album feels like something you have heard before.
Put everyone in alarm mode when it was released, great work for a teenager. Not something I’d listen to, but some catchy tracks
Pop
Much better than i expected
nodded my head a couple times
I didn’t really like this album, can’t really pinpoint why.
Pretty fun for pop, but a little whiney and some of the songs really blend together. Cool sound design overall.
I dont know modern pop music very well, so it was nice to get this album to expand my music knowledge a bit.
Okay so the album cover is drop dead gorgeous let's get that out of the way first and foremost. That being said - I prefer artists to sing rather than talk with a backing track. Just not my taste, I feel like every time I was getting into the swing of something we hit a block and came off the rails. Perfect places and green light are kinda fun.
J'ai oublié de demander à Steph hier si je devais applaudir Lorde. Je ne trouve pas fameux anyway. Fuck le grand Antonoff.
Muy Lorde, aburrido
**an ok no album, mostly story telling.
Parece música de adolescente.
Enjoyed the 1st track but very quickly got fatigued listening to this. The production definitely feels like the main thing here, definitely the king. The production is spot on while being too much at the same time. There is the odd hook very occasionally but they are very intermittent. Look I don't enjoy this "modern pop" sound very much, and accept fully I am not the target audience for this. It's not the self confession lyrics, lots of my favourite artists do those, it's the form of delivery starting with that talking almost none singing, it just seems to be whiny teen diary delivery than much in the way of actual songs, with any musicality coming from said production. She shows she can sing but that isn't singing. Look it's not for me, that's the bottom end. If you are into this fine, just can’t imagine it being dug out in 50 years, but as said might be wrong it ain’t for me. 2 Star
šta je bliže hrvatskom albumu na ovom popisu: laibach (geografski i kulturološki najbliže, ali hrvatski, dakako, nije) ili ovo (lorde čak ima i hrvatsko državljanstvo na temelju porijekla)? vidim da je na albumu surađivao čifutkov i imam loš predosjećaj... sasvim sam ispravno slutio. prije nego što sam pročitao da je ovaj album antonofljevo maslo, mislio sam da će album biti solidan jer mi je lorde bila poznata isključivo po do neke mjere nekonvencionalnoj pjesmi »royals«. no uz čifutkova nema ničeg približnog na ovom predvidivom i prije svega dosadnom albumu koji se ni po čemu ne usuđuje riskirati. svaka pjesma dade se u svojoj cijelosti pustiti u slastičarnici i odgovarat će. velika šteta jer lorde ima dobar glas i uz dobre skladatelje i tekstopisce mislim da bi mogla svašta. ali ne, dosadni, generični pop... završna stvar albuma na samom početku zazvučala mi je kao spotifajeva reklama, to govori dovoljno
It was okay. I liked the futuristic soundscape, but this definetely not my cup of tea.
Not a fan. Loved her voice on her first album but this album didn't seem much different. Liked a couple of songs but unmoved by most of them. Greenlight and Homemade Dynamite.
Not bad and some interesting parts but not my style at all
Yikes! Not a fan whatsoever. Sounds like her new producer wanted more pop, not her style. Wasn't unlistenable so I can't put it a 1 but this was nothing to write home about
I wanted this to be better. A slightly fuller Tegan and Sara.
Drifted through this album without being particularly wowed, or dismayed.
Not my thing
Fine, I guess. Not sure if it's the instrumentation, or else maybe all the songs were written in quite a similar way, but overall this feels kind of mechanical. Lyrically, it left me pretty unmoved.... Perhaps unsurprising, given I'm a middle aged man. Some of the vocals, I did like, actually. Also, I feel that if the songs had more room to breathe this would be a much better album.In summation: a kind of a cross between The XX and Lana Del Boy but nowhere near as good as either.
From heartbreak and break-ups to loneliness, young female singer-songwriters are shaping the themes of pop music. For some, anger, revenge, disappointment and bitterness are also part of the mix. However, I think for Lorde it stays at heartbreak and sorrow. Her music is very much of the moment. But none of that interests me in the slightest. I hate to sound like an old white boomer, but this music is as ordinary as it is trivial. Goodness, I was so bored. But I suppose I’m not the target audience either.
I have heard one Lorde song, and I enjoyed the music, but I feel like her voice is going to irk me. I’m not a fan of singers singing in a style that changes the sounds of words. For instance, singing the word hard, but it ends up sounding like horde. Amy Winehouse did it, Adele, I think, does it, but they are generational talents. I feel like it’s an affectation that singers, both male and female, put on to sound more like Adele and Winehouse. It screams hack to me, which is why it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. This album came out in 2017, and it may be the newest album on the 1,001 albums you must hear before you die list. I’m going in thinking I’m going to hate this, but that means if it’s even a little bit better than I’m thinking, I’ll love it. It’s just 11 songs and 41 minutes long. That's excellent news. After consulting with my good friend, Wikipedia, I've just found out that this is Lorde’s second album and it’s not even the one with the Royals song on it. Then I am truly going in blind. Oh, and I see that nerd Jack Antonoff was her main collaborator. What is he? The new Todd Rundgren? Though, at least when Rundgren was producing albums, it was just him. We now live in the age where it takes 12 people to write and produce a song, and double that for an album. Most of the time it doesn’t even include the star. I digress Track 1 is Green Light and I already hear the goofy singing style. It’s like she's copying someone else. I need to get past her voice. I’m predisposed to hate it. This was the first single off the album, and it did well all across the world, reaching 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The music is nice. It’s pure electronic pop. This reminds me of Robyn, and I love Robyn. Maybe I can do this. Track 2 is Sober, and I’m betting it’s not a cover of the Tool song. I like the beat. It’s very sparse, with no real music, just beats. Now the synths are coming in. Oooh, there are some fake horns in this jam. This sounds like it's going to be a summer album. Her voice still irks me, but if I focus on the beats, I can take it. Track 3 is Homemade Dynamite, and it’s more of the same: great beats and mildly annoying singing. I do love it when Lorde goes into her upper register. She does that a lot in this song. It's hard to apply her affectation when she’s singing like that. These songs are short and sweet, which adds to the appeal. Because the songs are kind of the same beat over and over with little variation, a 7-minute song would be monotonous. I love the chorus, “Blowing s**t up with homemade d-d-d-dynamite.” I see now it was the last single from the album. Great song. Track 4 is The Louvre, and the affectation isn’t so prominent on this song. I really like it. I don’t know that she’s a powerhouse Adele-like singer. Lorde is probably more like Robyn vocally. It’s a slower groove, but it still has the summer in the city feel. I really like this song. I think Lorde is turning me. Track 5 is Liability, and it starts with a Let It Be-style piano. The melody reminds me of My Chemical Romance’s Black Parade, at least the opening of that song, when he was a young boy. The affectation is back a bit, but it’s just a pretty piano melody and her voice. Wow, it stayed like that for the whole song, and by the end of it, I’ll admit, it got me feeling a little choked up. Looking at the meaning behind the song, it’s about how her fame made her a fun toy to hang around until the worst parts of fame interfered, and then she became a liability. She was always left alone and isolated. I felt that in the song, and I wasn’t even paying attention to the lyrics. Supposedly, this album is a concept album about Lorde’s life between the two years of her going from nobody to world-famous. I can imagine fame can be fun for about 15 minutes, then as much as people like to build you up, they love even more to tear you down. Aren't humans fun? My favorite song on the album so far. Track 6 is Hard Feelings/Loveless, and that doesn’t sound like a sad title at all. It’s another slower-tempo song. It’s not bad, but I think I’d have followed such an emotional song as Liability with a banger of a song. Later, the song breaks down into some sort old school hip-hop track about how Lorde’s generation is the loveless generation. According to some AI thingie, it’s about the part of the breakup where you start spouting nonsense like, “I never liked you in the first place!” Or, “I’m glad I broke your heart!” I guess. Probably my least-liked song or songs on the album. Track 7 is Sober II (Melodrama), and I guess this is a reprise of the earlier Sober track? This Sober has more instruments in the music, with strings added to the piano. The affectation is back on her voice, or at least I notice it more on this song. It’s fine, but it’s nothing blowing me away. This album seems more like a sad album than a dance album. After the first two or three songs, which sounded summery and fun, the last few are not fun. Maybe that’s the concept. Track 8 is Writer In the Dark and it’s another slow, heartbreaky song. Oooh, there’s a part in the song where Lorde harmonizes with her voice, and it sounds very cool. Lorde is saying to a guy, "Be careful dating a songwriter, or you’ll end up fodder for the next album." When she loves you, she loves you until you have to call the cops on her, but after she’s over you, you’ll be immortalized in song. I love the concept. The song was good, but the chorus was great. Track 9 is Supercut and we’re back to summer boogiedown, though it’s still a breakup song. Whoever this dude was, he really messed Lorde up, it seems. I guess this is how every Taylor Swift album is. Speaking of Tay-Tay, now that she apparently has found love and happiness, will she still be the same songwriter? A lot of bands or rappers who were poor and struggling don’t have that same fire when they’re millionaires and flying in private jets, you know? I wonder if Tay-Tay's fire will be extinguished? I digress. This song is fine, but I still want that one last banger. Track 10 is Liability (Reprise), and what’s the deal? Did Lorde only have like 6 songs, so they decided to split 3 or 4 of them into two parts? I don’t get it, Big Dan. The singing affectation is back in a big way. This reprise is ruining what I used to think was the best song on the album. I’m not even going to finish this crap. Track 11 is Perfect Places and it was a single. It’s a bit more uptempo, but it sounds like becoming rich and famous has quite literally ruined Lorde’s life. I feel sorry for her. I hope she was able to work through these feelings and get to a better place. The song is alright. It sounds like what I imagine pop radio sounds like these days. Overall, I thought this was a fine album. Lorde’s singing affectation didn’t totally ruin the album for me. Is it an all-timer? Far from it, at least in my opinion. But this isn’t really my style, though I am a fan of pop and dance music. Lyrically, I think the album is very good. She opens herself up and pours it all out. This album just depressed me by the end. If you are the kind of person who likes what’s on the radio these days, I’m sure you’ll love this.
Points for her vibe (which I do love), but the album itself isn't very memorable. Didn't really hold my attention.
not really into this one that much
It’s nice enough. Feels like painting by numbers. It’s all perfectly assembled but has no soul. I can’t fault it as a pop album. It’s probably I’m just too old now to connect with it. Horribly compressed sound also. 2
Not my flavor decent album not stellar
The supposed “New Queen of Alternative” making an album produced by the man who ruined pop production. 2/5
Average pop music
I remember when Lorde first came about, a couple good songs, but I have never heard this album before. Not bad 2.5 stars
Ehh... It's not as awful as I find most modern pop but it does nothing for me. At least there's no excessive autotune.
Not really a fan
Not ground breaking. Definitely didn’t hit the same as her first album did when she first appeared
Pop music with an edgy indie vibe. It is still formulaic.