Reviews (page 10 of 14)
Some of the songs are pretty good, but they'll never be Royals.
It’s important to know that Lorde’s favourite Kiwi musician is Paul Williams
I like Lorde, in my view a songwriter of not inconsiderable talent. Her insights often belie her lack of years, although not all the songs here succeed. Nevertheless, when they are good, they are very good indeed. Saw her perform a couple of years back: felt as foreign as a frankfurter among her more "typical" demographic.
Pleasant enough
Mmmm ok
One of the better mainstream pop albums of the last ~10 years. It's cool that a one hit wonder, almost industry plant-type musician from New Zealand managed to build upon an initial hype and have an interesting career. And all based on her own songwriting, lyrical and vocal skills, with help from Antonoff. The result - a highly enjoyable album and (as of 2024) easily her peak work. Not many mainstream albums are this consistent, unique and forward-thinking. Fun story. After Lorde was picked to perform Life on Mars for a David Bowie tribute album in 2017, Bowie's longtime pianist Mike Garson said: "David really liked Lorde, and he felt like she was the future of music, and they had a few wonderful moments together." Bowie was so God damn cool.
Intéressant
I enjoyed it.
Kate Bush-lite. The lyrics are nonsensical and instrumentally it's pretty generic but that voice is pure sex.
Een keer weer echt iets anders! Heb het idee dat er weinig pop albums op deze lijst staan, het is toch eerder pop-rock achtig. Benieuwd wat Lorde brengt, ken haar debuut album een beetje. Zou die er ook in staan? Merk dat ze heel erg haar eigen stijl heeft, met een beetje het fluisterzingen wat Billie Eilish later perfectioneerd hier ook al aanwezig. Hard Feelings/Loveless doet me een klein beetje denken aan Flume qua instrumentals. Best wel vet. Vind het album sowieso heel dik instrumentaal, vind het daardoor ook jammer dat de teksten/Lorde me niet zo pakken. Tot de 2e helft van het album. Daar staan voor mij de sterkere nummers in (Supercut, Writer in the dark) Er zitten een paar hele mooie nummers op dit album, maar oo best wel wat matige filler. Ik kom lekker middelmatig weer uit! FAVO: Green Light, Hard Feelings/Loveless, Writer in the dark, Supercut, Perfect Places
Unique voice Enjoyed the album! 3.5/5
Actuallly enjoyed this - didn’t grip me by any means but enjoyable listen
De mon oreille la plus passive, je n’ai qu’entendus les échos de la radio d’un dépanneur ou autre pharmacie lointaine
I love her lyrics but it's not my genre really
Not bad, might listen to more.
Solid pop album.
La neozelandesa crece con su segundo álbum dejando atrás la rebeldía adolescente en lo temático y añadiendo, de la mano de Antonoff y Bleachers, una cierto brillo a través de sintetizadores retro. Eso sí, Lorde conserva el halo melancólico en casi todas las canciones, pero con algunos contrastes. Así abre el álbum con un añadido de alegría en "Green Light" que contrasta con la tristeza cruda que destila "Liability". Además del citado arranque del disco, me gustan las luminosas "Homemade Dynamite" y "Supercut".
I went into this with the expectation of loving it based on how much influence she had during the 2012-2014 triple j days but it mostly reinforced my disinterest in anything atmospheric. It all sounds real messy. She's at her best on tracks like Liability where it's just her and a piano. Strip back the bullshit and let that voice shine. Her phrasing is wild on that track too. Realise now that this is from 2017, maybe Royals is better suited for this list.
I remember Todd In The Shadows's best list for 2017 was the first time I didn't recognize a single song he included, nor did I feel particularly inspired to listen to any of them. That was up to and including the song he picked for the top spot: "Green Light" by Lorde. Finally listenjng to it, and the album, seven years later... Man, I'm just reminded of how much I don't really care for modern, current popular releases. Like, sure, I can't hear anything I dislike about it, and I can probably point out a few specific moments I like, but in general nothing really speaks to or clicks with me, y'know? Even "Green Light". I mean, the only 2017 album I listened to in 2017 was HUMANZ by Gorillaz. **That's** what I'm into. This... Eh. Not as much, sadly.
Eh
Ned mis Bizli too much teeny drama Sie het mega gueti tüfi, hans aber ned so gern wenn sie höch singt Wenns mehrstimmig isch tönts immer glich Isch ok I guess
I'm familiar with the singles off this album but have never listened to it straight through. This is decent 2010s pop, apparently telling the story of a breakup set at a house party. While I do have other pop artists that I prefer, I do appreciate and give props to albums that have that sort of narrative structure/tie-in throughout. Definitely better than a lot of stuff on this list. 3/5
I don’t know why this doesn’t hit as hard as other recent singers. On paper this should be great, but it just doesn’t have that oomph.
Aptly titled - a little too much of the Billie Eilish whiny schoolgirl vibe on this one for me. I listened to her two other albums in conjunction with this, and this was my least favorite.
Enjoyed a few songs on this and it took me by surprise to be honest. I quite enjoyed the synth wave undertones on some of the tracks.
Enjoyable enough to listen to but it just didn't grab me or inspire me to give it another listen. 2.5 stars
Good Album. Some interesting songs. Some blah songs.
In een week waarin we aardig met de neus in de boter vallen, krijgen we nu te maken met een heuse popdiva. En in een week waarin er al gortig met sterren gesmeten werd, zou je verwachten - om geloofwaardig te blijven - dat het nu wel even wat minder mag. Ik kende dit album én Lorde überhaupt niet echt heel goed, naast het door de radio grijsgedraaide nummer 'Royals'. Ik weet niet of het nog steeds de extase van het vorige album is, maar andermaal beviel hij goed. Kortom, dit is bij vlagen moderne art pop wat ik echt kan waarderen. De lead single 'Green Light' is een aardige binnenkomer, waarin ze laat zien dat ze gewoon goeie popsongs in zich heeft. Vind de house-beats een beetje té cheesy, maar het kan er mee door. De bouncerige instrumentatie wordt doorgezet in 'Homemade Dynamite', waar hij beter uit de verf komt. Door de hook het meest catchy nummer van de plaat. 'The Louvre' vormt een ander sterk moment op een idem dito kantje één, een song waar Caroline Polachek vast inspiratie uit heeft gehaald. Het album kent ook zeker meerdere momenten waar het ietwat cringy wordt, waar de titel ''Melodrama'' met koeienletters wordt gespeld. Het neigt dan een beetje naar een melancholische Lana Del Rey, en de voor de rest rijke productie gaat een beetje over de top. Zoals in 'Hard Feelings/Loveless'. Maar na een gebrekkig middenstuk laten 'Supercut' en vooral 'Writer In The Dark' zien dat het een puik popalbum is, met een creatieve twist waarin ze zich onderscheidt van veel dertien in een dozijn popkutjes. Ze combineert de interessante elementen van een FKA twigs (heel goed hoorbaar in 'Writer In The Dark'), een Jessie Ware, en een Caroline Polachek, wat een prettige eerste luisterervaring oplevert. 7,5/10 Highlights: Homemade Dynamite Writer In The Dark Supercut
Lachen dat we ook moderne popplaten moeten reviewen. En Lorde maakt popplaten waar ik wel wat mee kan. Ik vind haar stem intrigerend en heeft met Melodrama een een gevarieerd album afgeleverd. Green Light vind ik echt wel een banger. Verder staan er kleinere nummertjes op waar Phoebe Bridgers niet ver weg is. Writer in the Dark doet me denken aan London Grammar. Zo valt er best veel te ontdekken op deze plaat en valt Lorde net in het goede bakje van de hedendaagse popmuziek waar ik af en toe wel voor wil gaan zitten. 7,5/10 Highlights Green Light Liability Sober II
Better than i expected. Still a teenager singing about teen shit, but i prefer olivia rodrigos take. Sometimes clever and catchy though. I guess on the list cause of antonoffs production taking over the world, impression i had without looking into it was sophomore slump. Antonoff was better when he was fun. Aim and ignite era. Puns son!
Not bad, not my favorite. I am Lorde. Yah yah yah.
Couple of lovely songs but all blur into one really
I have not heard this entire album before, it's pretty good. I would listen again.
Royals was a song that grabbed my attention. This is all fine work but none of it does what Royals did and so here I am.
Generic, female led, power pop. Acceptable for what it is I suppose, but it defo don’t warrant further listening.
she has a unique voice, cool sounds and transitions but could not get into it :/ I can imagine the hype around her, just doesn’t resonate with me.
Enjoyed this more than I expected, don’t think I’ll return
Not really my thing, but it is solid if you like millennial pop songs. Kinda hate that weird but common affectation she has on a few words where she sticks an "i" sound in the middle of a word for no reason. 3.5 stars
nice electro-pop but not really my thing
“Green Light” is a good opener, with a mix of intensity, bright chords, and increasingly insistent groove. There’s nothing on the level of “Royals” or “Team” here. 3 albums in the decade since Lorde’s career started show her still finding way after a lot of excited ingénue talk. It must be hard to become famous that young. Sophomore albums are also notoriously difficult, being judged by the promise of a popular debut. Perhaps time will be kinder, but as it stands, this record doesn’t display the work of a promising young artist.
Strong voice with a wide range, first few songs were very good. The layering/harmonising(?) gets abit repetitive throughout.
Most of the songs sound the same but they all sound good
Solid album. Good lyrical writing. Could use some song intros to create some distinction.
Its a Fine album just not my style
It’s no Royals, but I enjoyed this album when it came out and several songs made it onto my playlists. 3.5
not gonna lie the lines: “But we're the greatest They'll hang us in the Louvre Down the back, but who cares—still the Louvre” almost made me hit a 4 for this could i write poetry to this? n
Probably would have been a 5 immediately after the first time I heard it. For some reason this album lost its luster really quick. I think that's sort of a Antinoff specialty. Hits you with (Melo) dramatic sounds that don't hold up after closer inspection. Still good songs, but something just ain't right.
Good voice
Standard female indie pop stuff. Liability is the standout song, and makes you wish for a more piano rock kind of album.
I have one of her songs. That's it.
Green Light - i haven’t really listened to Lorde before, so far it reminds me of k flay but more pop? not bad just not my personal taste! Sober - i liked it more than green light but i still don’t have much to say. not upset that i’m listening to it but i probably wouldn’t put it on Homemade Dynamite - immediately liking this one more than the others. funny that it’s about partying but if you didn’t listen to the lyrics i wouldn’t guess that at all. this is giving pop radio hit to me! The Louvre - really is reminding me of K Flay, who my sister is a big fan of so i should recommend this album to her. i like the lyrics of this one! Liability - okay wait this is making me want to cry and it’s 10am… fav so far! Hard Feelings/Loveless - okay so there are some great breakup songs on this album and i can appreciate that!! oh so. there’s just a different song that is part of this song halfway through. this beat kinda makes me want to sway my hips. work Lorde! Sober II (Melodrama) - it’s a song! Writer In The Dark - i like her heartbreak songs i guess, she does them well! good one Supercut - i like this one too! ahhh!!! she does angsty love song so well!! also one of my favs i think Liability (Reprise) - okay now she’s just having fun w it. i do feel like i have more respect for her as an artist after listening to this album, i think she has a creative vision and clearly is an artist with shit to say! Perfect Places - ya i’m just not a partier so her party songs aren’t my fav i guess honestly probably a 3/5 for me, i liked some of these but a lot of them i didn’t like. if i heard this is 2013 i think it would’ve shaken me to my core but not in 2024
Not my thing. The kind of music that’s Popular with idiots who think they ‘love’ music and ‘hate’ commercial pop but only listen to radio 1 breakfast shows. It’s basically commercial pop from a different era 2.5
Fine
Not all bad. I listened to it all and I like some songs.
It’s very slick, at least at first listen….but that seems to strip the emotion out of it….very very cool, but is there any meaning?
I liked this album it was very well recorded and the songs were pretty good. The style suits my tastes which is not often the case with new female artist. Billie Eilish is another with a similar feelthat I enjoy very much. I do wish the production was a little more organic, but still enjoyed the album. 3 stars
was apprehensive on this as there were more "reacts to" than actual songs. However it's some nice pop with an indie/ singer/songwriter slant. Doesn't hugely blow me away but enjoyed it 3.3
eh, not my thing. only appreciate lorde when its Randy Marsh. I am a Royalist.
Being a kiwi, I feel pressured to rate this high. It isn't a bad pop album by any means, but it is still a pop album, and I find it hard to rate it highly because of that fact. It has some good songs, but it still comes off as trying to appeal to the mass market.
Nothing special, but a nice sounding alt rock album for background listening.
We all deserve the kind of passionate love that involves the cops.
Four songs into the first listen and I was thinking 2. Then I got like 5 songs I liked in a row, and decided to give the album another listen. Man it grows on you. Liability, Hard Feelings/Loveless, Writer in the Dark, Supercut, Perfect Places. Very nice album.
Good album. Don’t see myself coming back to it often, although it may grow on me.
Vocalization takes some getting used to. Good production and good songs.
There's nothing wrong with this, but I don't feel I'm ever likely to listen to it again. It was ... OK.
I remember having high hopes for this one after Pure Heroine and being a bit disappointed. Where PH is spare, this album is a bit overdone to the point of sounding the same. This extra listen has helped it in my esteem and Green Light is such a great opener. I wish there was a 3.5.
I admit that I didn't even know what kind of music to expect from Lorde. I really liked the first track, Green Light. I found the next few songs to run together a bit for me, but I enjoyed The Louvre. I also liked Liability (which had some nice piano) and its reprise later in the album. I wasn't a fan of the distorted synthesizer in Hard Feelings / Loveless. Sober II and Supercut were OK. Overall, I see the appeal of Lorde's music - I won't avoid it, but I won't seek it out.
I started out feeling like this was a 4 but it fell off pretty hard in the back half. Stopped being bangers and started being a little dull.
Pretty, pretty, pretty good
Nothing special, nothing offensive. Maybe a bit mundane but doesn hurt my ears. It's a cut above generic female pop, so there's that at least.
finally listened to it. better cover
Good album. Just not for me.
This is not exactly my listening sweet spot, but I found the album intriguing and will take a closer look at Lorde's catalog.
Decent, some good songs
There is something appealing about Lorde's music that I've never been able to put my finger on. Maybe it's her vocal style, or just that the music feels a little unorthodox for a pop star. I really only knew her debut album 'Pure Heroine' before. Unfortunately, 'Melodrama' doesn't appeal to me as much. There are some stand out tracks like 'Green Light', but it's lacking the eerie minimalism of her debut and has fewer tracks that stick with me. I still like it, but it's a shame that 'Pure Heroine' didn't make the cut for this list. It might have been a 5 for me.
Would give this a 3.5, really enjoy Lorde's sound and she definitely hit her peak on this one.
“The Louvre” is a fantastic song. Super cut and liability really grab me.
3.5/5
Best Songs: N/A Listen Again: Probably not
Like it more than Lana Del Rey but not by much. 2.5 stars.
Hobbiton, Cricket, and Randy Marsh are treasures of New Zealand I'm not really on board though, but I do find it intriguing. It's weird too, because I can't determine if what I do enjoy about this album is really Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor or just Jack Antonoff. But as the kids would say, this has a few bops on it.
Too pop-y
It has some great production, the lyrics are pretty cool and the singing is pretty great, but it's not for me 2.5
Melodrama is really accurate
Chill vibes. But nothing made me feel any emotions.
Great production. Too pop for me.
ethereal. hypnotic. well crafted electropop. and she wrote/cowrote all of the songs, which isn’t very common in modern day pop music. interesting voice. pretty good album. highlights: “liability”, “writer in the dark”, “perfect places”.
Meh. Good music, but didn't jump out.
I didn’t dislike this but it’s not really my thing, either.
Meh
Good Album like her sound. Green Light is a bop
Just not my music. She does have a great voice
Unquie voice and interesting lyrics.
Mellow and moody, good listen on a rainy day.
2 canciones sublimes
I used to be a music director at a college and remember receiving Lorde's "Love Club" EP and thinking it was not my thing but saw an appeal for the indie/pop cross over style and catchy songs. I never listened to this really but it's a solid pop record. I guess since I ignored it on initial release I didn't realize how much the current pop style feels like this. I don't know if it was capitalizing on those trends or creating them. The actual songs are nice enough. Feels like a bit Kate Bush, a bit Swift, but overall cool.
Good. I’m guessing she influenced Olivia Rodrigo. I really liked her first album.
Overly passionately-sung, breathy vocals, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the album at times, some heartfelt lyrics and great instrumentation.
Slaps but not my cup of tea.
Enjoyable.
Though this isn’t what I would typically listen to, I enjoyed this album. I wouldn’t say it’s worthy of too much praise because, after all, most of the songs sound like you could’ve thrown Taylor Swift or Lana Del Rey on it and it would’ve sounded just as good, but it’s certainly inoffensive. I didn’t feel like it took effort to listen to like some of the 1001 albums ie The war on drugs. There are some solid pop beats and catchy vocal rhythms to keep this from being as bland and soulless as radio pop has the tendency of being. 5/10 Best Track: Sober II (Melodrama)
Great pop album, nice songs besides the hits, must listen again
I enjoyed the production and most of the melodies but I'm not a huge fan of how she sings. Despite it only being prominent during the verses, I found it to be generally annoying after a while.
It was pretty good, but not for me. The production was fantastic and is objectively well put together, but I just didn’t really enjoy it that much.
Neither good or bad, just mediocre, nothing too special
Very mediocre record, even if you can see what she's trying for. Producer's impact: more creative effort spent in the pre-choruses than the verses, across the album. Overall impression - music for people to sing along with who aren't confident singers. Much of the album sounds like you're hearing a neighbor play it through the wall. "Green Light" - sophomoric lyrics over a driving track that hints at freedom "Sober" - intriguing lyrics, but the soft parts of the soft-loud-soft pattern are boring and predictable across her albums "Homemade dynamite" - low effort lyrics, "dance" beat that doesn't ever open up. Breathy vocals and soft peaks like kids who want to dance in the basement but Dad won't let them turn up the stereo. This is supposed to depict the excitement of a new crush? "The Louvre" a not very exciting track about the excitement of an early relationship. A dance track that has as much dance energy as a La Croix has fruit juice. "Liability" - downtempo piano ballad but the vocal cadences are identical to her upbeat stuff. How are we supposed to feel any different invested emotion? Heartfelt and well-written lyrics. Sub-3-minute interval, needs more time to develop and occupy some space between faster tempo songs. "Hard Feelings/Loveless" Hard Feeling section is only vaguely interesting musically while the lyrics are HS diary poetry. Loveless section seems a callback to earlier Lorde pirated Fruity Loops beats, which is a nice way to paint what seems to be callback story time. Otherwise a section devoid of impact, either musical or emotional. "Sober II (Melodrama)" whatever emotional/story impact the lyrics deserve are completely lost by a generic low-everything instrumental track. Considering it's the title track, as it were, that's unfortunate. "Writer in the Dark" - A far more effective piano ballad - she actually belts out some parts. It's not all speak-singing. "Supercut" Upbeat but still feeling held-back. Good lyrics. Shouldn't have had to wait this long into the album for all the cylinders to fire. "Liability (Reprise)" mournful lyrics with appropriately mournful accompaniment. Should have been the final track on the album, esp as a reprise. Or merge the two "Liability" tracks, which addresses the shortcomings of the first one. "Perfect Places" Good track, shame it's at the end. Compelling instrumental, insightful lyrics.
Very upbeat and fun album with great beats and vocals...and some less upbeat and melodrama songs. Green Light is a real cool tune. 3
Shocked with how many of the songs I recognized. Suppose I shouldn't since I live in NZ
I liked it more than I thought
It's fine
Внезапно 2017 год. Слушай, ну движово, ну приятно. Поп такой качовый девочковый. По голосу напоминает ke$ha. Не знаю три это или четыре.
Some really good chord progressions and vocals on this album. "Liability" is particularly nice. Maybe you should give this album a second chance before you toss it in the electro-pop trash bin.
A while back I had a revelation about Lorde and this album in particular. The songs are at their best when they’re played in the background and you don’t pay too close attention to the lyrics. I’m sure Lorde wouldn’t want to hear that because she clearly labors over every word and carefully delivers every line. But man, she writes some silly lyrics. And her performance is unintentionally funny on a bunch of these songs. Like when she whispers on “Sober”: “I know this story by heart / Jack and Jill get fucked up and possessive when it gets dark” 😂 Like, even aside from the dramatic way she delivers this dumb line, aren’t Jack and Jill brother and sister? Why would you use them as a metaphor for a romantic relationship? But every time I laugh at a line, the next moment I get drawn back in by the melody. Lorde is similar to Taylor Swift in that way. Both are very talented at coming up with hooks that get stuck in your head and melodies you remember for years. But they’re not always great at attaching words to those melodies. I can’t tell if they overthink their lyrics or don’t put enough time into them. Maybe I’m pointing my finger at the wrong person though. Jack Antonoff is credited as a songwriter and lyricist on a lot of these songs and he writes with Taylor Swift too. He’s probably responsible for a lot of these dud lines. But his production on this album is a highlight. There are bright colors and interesting sounds on just about every song. I love that bouncing piano that comes in and out of “Green Light.” And how it builds and crashes into the chorus! Hard not to get caught up in that. Great album cover too.
Easy to listen but kind of generic radio Pop
A little melancholy for my tastes. She has a beautiful and unique voice and I don’t hate it. It’s just not to my taste. I would rate 2.5, so rounding up to 3
Yep, not bad
I thought it was relatively okay but i was not a fan
I normally do not listen to much radio pop (except for my girl tswift ofc) but I love this album and it has been my go-to gym album for years. green light gets me pumped the fuck up! i don’t care for lorde’s other albums but this one slaps.
Standout Pop to me. Uses familiar sounds that are in pop songs, but in ways that make it much more different. Works well for me, and makes for a good pop album.
Soft voiced singer, still strong! Some songs a little to alternative for my liking. The album cover is gorgeous.
Really good pop. Great unique production.
Better than I thought it would be going in as I had only heard a few Lore songs prior to this album. Almost every song bar "Liability" was laden with heavy beats and not quite mumbley vocals, and only a handful stood out to me like the aforementioned "Liability" and it's reprise, "Supercut", and "The Louvre" but nothing felt like it overstayed its welcome.
The most contemporary one from the one's we've seen so far and it's a nice genre refreshment after all the rock lately. It's not bad, but the problem is that it just sounds like I've heard it thousand times before. It's the kind of modern formulaic big producer type of sound, therefore it just feels a bit dry and it lacks that spark for me. Feels like I'd hear these songs in Zara. Lorde is certainly a talented singer and good song writer, but from what I heard this specific album from her just doesn't hit very much. I'll give it another chance in the future, but I don't have high hopes. On the other hand some songs aren't bad. Hard Feelings/Loveless has some nice qualities. I like the industrial metalic scraping sounds in the middle of the song. Also Kudos for the album cover though. Very visually pleasing with the painted style and vibrant colors. 🤗 Would look nice in my liked songs if I actually liked it... 6/10
Ha! I already listened to this album out of my own will like two weeks ago, when I saw it was on this list. But that doesn't mean I remembered much, sooo... Wait a sec. I didn't really remember much from it even the second time round. It's not really "my" genre. But i do appreciate her.
- schönes Popalbum - kannte keinen Song, ich war vorher nur mit ihrem Debütalbum Pure Heroine bekannt - das Albumcover fasst die overall recht melancholischen Klänge gut zusammen - Mix ist wie auch schon auf dem Vorgänger recht minimalistisch gehalten (jedoch stärker vom Hip-Hop / R&B entfernt). In der Minimalistik zweifelsfrei state of the art -> die Vocals sind wunderschön rausgearbeitet - hege große Sympathien für Lorde als Person - leider holt mich das Album emotional nicht so ab, ich hatte zu oft das Gefühl es sei alles etwas „steril“ und kalt. - Ich hatte ein ähnliches Gefühl wie beim schauen von „Euphoria“, technisch hat mich das alles sehr beeindruckt, im Herzen aber trotz all der Melancholie irgendwie nicht ganz getroffen… Rating: 3,25/5
not bad but not a 1000 greatest album of all time...
Album was okay. I liked her first one better.
# 122 : Good album. A couple of hits, a couple of fillers. Not too bad and she has a lovely voice. Favourite track : Supercut Listened : 01/12/2023
Good but nothing really stood out to me. Consistent from start to finish. Very emotionally laden. Fans of Taylor Swift would like for sure. 3/5 on the 1001 album scale.
3.5
I've heard quite a lot of praise for Lorde (pun not intended), but I'm not sure I quite get it myself. I think it sounds a bit too over the place for me. Too modern perhaps? Though writing that down makes me feel super old. Don't see what separates this from other modern pop. Not great, not terrible either.
I remember listening a lot to "Pure Heroine" when it came out but I haven't listened to this album as much. I did enjoyed this though, the hits are great. "Supercut" and specifically "Green Light" are really good songs. Maybe it is that this sound has been done to death these days (Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish to name a few) that makes me feel like I'm really tired of it. This is not really fair on this album as this was ahead of the curve and a sound many copied. The tiredness makes it difficult to appreciate the songs I haven't heard before though. I feel like a few years prior or in a few years i could come back to this and appreciate it more. For now it gets a strong 3.
Intricate, unique pop-instrumentation with immaculate production combined with beautiful, evocative vocals create a powerful, if slightly too-individualistic (at least for my taste) listening experience. Some of the lyrics are simply outside the scope of my current life, so they feel a bit obscure: probably I'm just too old and too uncool. (I guess I wish that young people were more interested in the meaning of life rather than their own identities. Maybe they would get more out of life and feel less like the Loveless generation. Then again, they're searching for meaning through their identities, so I guess it's similar. What do I know?) Lorde's voice is powerful and full of emotion. Lots of singing about dancing and partying, which doesn't do it for me. I can certainly see why she is so popular. A gifted, talented young woman. If there were 1/2 stars, I'd give it 3.5, but it feels closer to a 3.
Jack Antonoff can manage to get some really great songs out of the artists he works with, but MAN can you hear his production from 1,000 miles away. 3.5/5
Pure Heroine is better. Melodrama is both more mature and more generic than her first album, which had a unique sound and portrayed the isolation of growing up raised by the internet but also the uncertainty of a foreseen thrust into fame. Liability and Writer In the Dark are my favorites here, full of emotion and vulnerability. Homemade Dynamite is fun. Many of the other tracks have this conventional pop sound and structure, although Lorde’s distinct voice sets them apart. Hate Perfect Places. Some of the lyrics and phrasings are odd in a way I don’t like, or they feel too contrived instead of falling naturally into the song.
Gentle unconventional vocal and subtle pop songs. Pleasant if not world shattering.
This album is great. Lorde is great. She’s always had a very unique approach to her music and this album definitely exemplifies that. I think this album falls really well between her first album and her latest release. She’s grown more as an artist in this album the tracks tended to be a little bit more direct and composed.
Relaxing and nice sounding, nothing to write home about in my opinion
Fine but i’m unsure why it’s on this list. Most of the songs just feel like generic sadpop.
Perfectly fine
It's hyper polished pop, and pop's not my bag. 😒 Initially it was tolerable enough, but by the end of the album it was starting to wear me down. Thank heavens for the near-impenetrable media bubble I live in these days, because I think if I was forced to listen to some of these singles a couple of times per day I would grow to hate them with a fierce passion by the end of the first week. Fave track - eh, "Green Light" let's say.
I’m not really sure this was melodrama. Nothing seemed over the top. I really enjoyed the experience, it was like swimming in warm water. I love her voice and the whole ambience. The tragedy is that a few hours later, I cannot remember if there was one hook or catch. I don’t remember if there was any chorus. I can’t actually remember one song landing. There is no evidence of impact. Certainly not as much as Royal. So, much as I enjoy a dip in thermal springs, I can barely remember where these ones were. I wouldn’t object to having another listen though, some other time.
Her voice/singing style is reminiscent of Bjork at times. This album was fun to listen to. I liked it a lot more than SZA but I’ll rank it the same because, while SZA got the 3 for being a little better than a 2, Lorde will get it for being not quite a 4.
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.