When now 17-year-old Billie Eilish first came on to my radar not too long ago, almost immediately after listening to a few singles, I side-lined her as a Lorde/Lana Del Rey wannabe. A musician who lacked originality and jumped on a hype train that had already found its conductors. Despite my protests, it was hard to disregard her seemingly sudden rise to stardom and the millions of followers that now come with being a 21st century pop-star.
This was all forgotten when I gave the album’s third single a listen. Bury a Friend was a shockingly haunting affair, unlike anything I’d experienced before. While it was still a ‘pop’ song, it certainly wasn’t what I expected when I pressed play. The moody vocals, while not showcasing Eilish’s range, does a wonderful job of sitting beside the sombre production to create a rollercoaster-like experience, with the accompanying music video further solidifying this.
The album itself is a mixed bag, however. There are plenty of reminders that we’re listening to a teenager as she narrates “I have taken out my Invisalign and this is the album”. This opening also highlights the intimate setting of the album’s inception, with the production credits throughout the album stating her brother, Finneas O’Connell, as sole producer. This does lend itself to much more intimate and honest subject matter as far as a pop album is concerned. It’s depressive throughout, and lyrically remains quite addicting during its 43-minute runtime. The topic choices are rarely stale or fall into cliché, and are delivered as hauntingly as the production allows.
And, well, the production doesn’t allow for much. xanny sounds extremely rough around the edges, with the instrumentals and muddy bass overshadowing Eilish’s impressive performance. This remains the case for most of the following tracks. Eilish performs well vocally and is the most entertaining part of this album. The production on the other hand, tries to do too many things and doesn’t do any of them particularly well.
There are certainly some highlights though. bad guy is a catchy opener, with Eilish’s vocals as poignant as ever. you should see me in a crown follows in the same vein, with another charismatic vocal performance and production to match. my strange addiction is probably the most traditionally pop sounding record on the album, but it’s far from the worst. Track seven – when the party’s over – is a daunting ballad that is intimate while also managing to sound imposing, and it works to perfectly slow down the album at its midpoint.
If not for the inconsistent production and a few unimaginative melodies dotted throughout, this album would have been a great debut, rivalling the likes of some of her successful contemporaries’ efforts before her. For now, though, it’ll remain just a good album, one which showcases the teen’s talents, as well as her shortcomings in equal effort. Its impact can’t be denied though, and will certainly influence those after her, as well as leaving her ever-increasing fanbase clamouring for more.
ABOUT THE RECORD:
Release date: March 29, 2019
Label: Interscope Records
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