NEW RELEASE: Solar Power - Lorde

 As I sit tired from my day, getting ready for bed, I remembered I made a dreaded code to myself. I would absolutely review Lorde's highly anticipated new release. The more professional critics have been a very mixed bag on the album, and I somehow found songs I hated worse than the lyrical regression that was Melodrama. Nevertheless, here we are, together as one broken musical family. We grieve the great loss of talent to weird big-headedness and the "I think I am deeper than I am" syndrome. Lorde is full of it at this point. 

The album begins with "The Path", which shows a small amount of lyrical potential in discussing what seems to be a newfound anxiety of fame and the feeling of being a role model. The vocal melody does not at all fit the rhythm of the music. She sounds offkey with the drum, and it becomes grating so quickly.

Do I need to review the song "Solar Power" itself again? I can profusely exclaim it has not grown on me but only gotten worse with time. The fact this was made a lead single over the at least slightly redeeming features is just Taylor Swift levels of bad single choices. I can say that, I probably have the most Swift merch of anyone in Idaho...

I am not sure what "California" was meant to be. A stream of consciousness? It sounds rushed, and half finished. Kind of matches with the entire album really. It seems like a lot of unfinished ideas for melodies. If someone told me this was a mixtape of demos, I would believe them.

"Stoned at the Nail Salon" sounds like an arrogant teenager trying to tell me they've sailed every ship that has come. It rubs me about as well as most arrogant teenagers do. 

Okay, maybe for a second we had a very small redeeming moment. "Fallen Fruit" is melodically compelling. She brought more of her strong suit vocals back. The music actually fits what she is doing. It sounds completed. Thought out. Compelling.

"Secrets From the Girl (Who's Seen it All)" reminds me this sounds like a pretentious teenager trying to be pseudo-deep again as she returns to the crap sounds of Solar Power. Actually, what is the difference in that pre-chorus and chorus vibe? That's just sad.

"The Man With the Axe" has Lorde complaining about all her mundane rich people problems while declaring love to someone and expects us peasants to find it relatable. Does that...ever work?

Okay Lorde, here's a new idea for you. If all your riffs still sound like Solar Power, you should wait and find a new beat to inspire you before you write again. Because "Dominoes" is melodically Solar Power...again...with dull uninspired lyrics that don't fit into the melody.

Alright, "Big Star" brings me a smidge back to what I once...liked about Lorde. Which you're probably wondering at this point if I ever liked her. I swear I did. I have Pure Heroine on CD. I love that album. She is only a shell of what she could have been. I hate watching wasted potential and lazy efforts get commended as iconic. 

And here we're back to pseudo-deep with a barely there song in the form of "Leader of a New Regime."

Apparently "Mood Ring" was supposed to represent how many people look to bizarre new age remedies to cope and it kind of misses every mark. I will say while I still dislike it, melodically, it is the best of the 3 pre album singles. But if you told me this was Lorde, I'd be confused.

The album closes with "Oceanic Feeling", seemingly an ode to her newfound self empowerment. She even said goodbye to the dark emo lipsticks she once wore in the Pure Heroine era because she doesn't need it anymore. Damn it, it was cool! 

Lyrics: 3/10 - Pretentious at best and completely uninspired at worst.

Music: 2/10 - If you liked Solar Power, great! It almost entirely matches!

Overall: 3/10. I am surprised there was 2 songs worth discussing. It doesn't even sound like her. At least Melodrama sounds like her. It is about as bad as I expected.