This summer was filled with long-awaited records from Haim, Lana Del Rey, Bleachers and so many more. But of all the new releases, only one record truly blew my mind: Lorde’s sophomore album Melodrama is quite simply perfection.
The 20-year-old collaborated with Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff to create one of the most well-produced records since the turn of the century. Every bass drop and underlying vocal is perfectly placed. The pre-choruses and bridges are well-written and relevant. It’s just catchy enough to be pop gold and just edgy enough to still be Lorde-like.
When the first single “Greenlight” came out, my jaw legitimately dropped. It was everything a song in 2017 should be. Catchy, heartfelt, electronically based but not in an annoying way, well-crafted from start to end and most importantly, it was intellectual.
The most intriguing aspect of the record as a whole, however, is how relatable it is. It’s one of the best coming-of-age records I’ve ever heard. Tracks like “Sober,” “Homemade Dynamite” and “Perfect Places” paint the all-too-familiar picture of the mess every young person is at some point. Thinking too much, feeling too much and partying too much in an attempt to forget it all.
Then there are the ballads. Lorde went so much more personal on Melodrama than she ever has before.
“Liability” is exactly how I felt my entire freshman year. All you want is to be wanted, but people are consumed with their own lives and they don’t have time for you and all the weight you carry. I think a lot of us feel alone, like we’re too much for anybody to handle, especially when we’re thrown into a new town in the middle of nowhere and expected to start lives from scratch.
“Hard Feelings” is the perfect breakup song. It’s not vengeful; it’s just honest. It encompasses what it’s like to lose the most important thing in your life. While “The Louvre” paints a picture of somebody becoming the most important thing in your life.
“Writer in the Dark” is painstakingly heartbreaking. There’s no mistaking the fact that Lorde poured every ounce of who she is and what she’s been through into it. Things change and people change. Learning to accept situations you cannot control is the hardest but most vital part of growing up.
The emotions on the entire record are so raw and real. It puts you into the head of anyone who’s ever felt different or alone. That’s what Lorde represents as an artist and she did a perfect job of capitalizing on that on Melodrama.
Halle Weber is a sophomore studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Did you love the new Lorde as much as Halle? Let Halle know by tweeting at her @HalleWeber13.
