Lorde - Pure Heroine Album Review
I was surprised to hear that the artist that has completely dominated the US Charts for the last 9 weeks is a 16 year old girl hailing from Auckland, with the stage name Lorde. Lorde is A singer/songwriter that seems to have become famous overnight with her debut single Royals that was originally released on her first EP The Love Club that was released late last year. Royals also appeared on her debut album Pure Heroine. Considering Lorde is primarily the writer of all her songs along with producer Joel Little (Goodnight Nurse), she definitely maintains a lot more interactive, well deserved agency to her music than other famous pop artists as Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber.
Pure Heroine was 37 minutes of my life that was worth giving up. The first track Tennis Court sets the mood for the album very well with it being very atmospheric, subtle and quite spacious which I found to be very consistent moods throughout the album. I found the instrumentation quite subtle, minimalist and very stripped down, maybe too stripped down to the bareback in the album which seems to work, but for me it lacked a bit of entertainment at times. The drums were mainly made with an electronic drum kit which consisted of mostly a thick kick drum, simple hi-hats and a snappy snare that sets a soft cut through the air of the music which allowed enough space for the keyboards ominous resonance. The drums and keyboard compliment Lorde's unique, warm voice without drowning her out but still making a musical statement.
Lorde's voice is really the icing on the cake for the album. She has an incredible, warm, beautiful voice that carries a lot of personality and character which I find brings something to the table that many other modern pop artists lack today. She has this unique, acapela feel to her voice that fits nicely since she doesn't use back up vocalists but instead uses her own voice to harmonise with herself.
The lyrical content of this album is quite descriptive, perceptive and visual which makes the lyrics definitely worth reading into. I feel as if she has liberated herself from the savannah of sameness and freed her individuality which I can now see 500 other albums being made in the next decade that will be heavily influenced by her smokey, sultry and relaxing style. I particularly like the lyrics in the song Glory & Gore, her gladiator metaphors compares the coliseum's battles to our cultures lust for celebrity dramas which gives the impression that Lorde contemplates if she like's this kind of metaphorical "bloodshed''.
Most of her lyrics consist of themes of change, adjustment and her and society's perception of fame and how she fears getting old which is what the 4th track on the album Ribs is all about.
Overall I think listening this whole album is was a very comfortably lethargic experience but lacked a little instrumentation. Despite the fact that the minimalist music actually complimented her amazing voice I feel that is was so simplistic at times it was almost boring. I feel that if Lorde and her producer Joel Little venture out a little lyrically and musically her next album will be just as great.
Personally I think it's a great album and if you haven't heard it yet I would give my full recommendation.
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About Lorde
Time exalted her amongst the 'Most Influential Teenagers in the World', she landed on Forbes’s '30 Under 30' List, graced the cover of Rolling Stone and performed alongside Nirvana during the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. She also curated the official soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and recorded Yellow Flicker Beat as the lead single.
In 2017 Lorde released her second full-length studio album, Melodrama which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Chart, making her the first ever NZ artist to land a #1 debut album in the United States. The album reached #1 in over 45 countries and earned Lorde a nomination for Album of the Year at the 2018 GRAMMY® Awards.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Lorde
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