Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Final Grade: B+

You know, this record really wasn't half bad!  I have definitely found myself having some of these songs stuck in my head over the last week, and I wasn't mad about it.  Lorde is definitely mature for her age, or at least she projects that through her sound and lyrics - I forgot she was only a teenager the majority of the time.  And she just won 2 Grammys!  Like, what the fuck was I doing with myself when I was 17, sheesh??  I dig that this record has a alternative/synth sound, and isn't strictly the kind of pop you hear on the radio these days.  It has an older flavor, while staying fresh.  "Glory and Gore" is probably my favorite song, which makes sense seeing as it's the most out tune on the record.  And even though Lorde doesn't have that great of a voice, it works for her style, and I can get down with that.  Overall, pretty decent record.  Good, I needed some new pop in my arsenal.

Still Sane


White Teeth Teens


A World Alone


Songs of the Day

Final 3 tracks on deck for this last day Lorde reviewing: "Still Sane,""White Teeth Teens," and "A World Alone."
I must say, so far I've enjoyed this album, and "Still Sane" keeps that feeling going.  "All work and no play never made lose it" is definitely a more positive message than the majority of the pop bs that's taken over the radio, so I'm down with it.  Lorde's got this chill, synth vibe down, which I dig.  This track is definitely more for chilling out versus rocking out, and being as short as it is (3:31), it comes and goes pretty quickly.  Not a stand out tune, but still a cool one.  Lorde's eeriness working for her yet again. 
"White Teeth Teens" probably has one of the grooves I like the least on the record - doesn't really do much for me/ doesn't seem as fresh as the rest of them.  It's still catchy tho, especially when the drumline-like snare comes in in the chorus.  Are "white teeth teens" supposed to be rich because they have good dental hygiene?  Not my favorite analogy, but I guess I get it.  I like the layering of the vocals at the end of the track, it's probably my favorite part of the song.  This one didn't do much for me, but it's not a bad track.
It's unfortunate that these last 3 tracks had to be my least favorite of the record, but that's how these things go sometimes.  "A World Alone" is the least different-sounding track on the record, which is probably why I don't like it as much as the rest of the album.  Given the title, it has a much happier feel to it than you would expect - sounds beachy.  Interesting that a 17 year old is talking about raising a glass (not that I wasn't doing that at 17, you just forget that teens do shit that's illegal lol), but that kind of stuff has been mentioned many a time before on the record.  The groove is catchy for sure (that's pop for you), I just don't think there's anything really special to it, same with the lyrics and everything.  Just eh.

Buzzcut Season


Team


Glory and Gore


Songs of the Day

Three more tracks for today's review: "Buzzcut Season," "Team," and "Glory and Gore."
See, "Buzzcut Season" has the kind of four-on-the-floor that I can get down with - it grooves.  This track definitely has a chill feel to it that's catchy.  Another track that is very minimal production-wise, but works.  It's easy to forget that Lorde was only 16 when she made this, which is pretty dope.  This is all her and producer Joel Little, so major props. 
"Team" goes in a little harder than the others so far, which I get down with.  Though I don't think she has the best voice, it works with what she's going for, and it has it's own style.  I can get into it.  I'm not anything that really catches me lyrically, but the melody for the hook is catchy, which is the first thing people are going to catch onto.
I got into it at the beginning with  "You been drinkin like the world was gonna end"  Pretty cool lyric, and "Glory and Gore" is a pretty cool song.  Like "Team," it goes in a little harder than some of the previous tracks, which I dig.  The hook is pretty damn catchy too, "glory and gore go hand in hand, that's why we're making headlines"  And ooooo the B section!  So fucking cool!  I love how it gets into that eerie minor feel - super dope.  Might be my favorite song so far!