Lorde - Pure Heroine

"I'm kinda over gettin' told to throw my hands up in the air.  So there."

Try it if you are into:
that one song on the radio ('Royals')
strong female singers
a mellow music mood
dream pop

Avoid if you dislike:
minimalist background beats
manufactured music


Before starting this album, I wasn't sure what to think, I liked that one song that is getting overplayed, but had my doubts about whether this would be just more pop music.
But I'm definitely glad I checked out this album.  It has a good sound and is impressive for an album put out by this New Zealand girl when she was only 16.

The music does sound a little manufactured.  What particularly gets me is when a singer provides background vocals for themselves.  It's not a big deal, but I personally prefer bands with multiple singers, so I don't see the point of layering just one person's voice.
However, she does write her own lyrics.  Some of them are a bit simplistic, and some of them offer some contradictory ideals.  For example, sometimes she gets cocky, but other times she sings about the sudden weight of being famous and keeping herself grounded.  But she does have a consistent message in rejecting our obsessions with image.  Sometimes she uses sarcasm to get this point across, as you might have heard in the song 'Royal'. 
So the lyrics aren't exactly her strong point, but I'm certainly willing to cut her some slack here considering she's young, writes her own material, and still manages to make a pretty valid point.

The music itself is very minimalistic.  It's an electric background beat, not completely unlike the British indie rock band The xx.  It is slightly surreal and allows her voice to dominate the tunes.

And dominate it does.  If nothing else is to be taken from this review, know one thing: her voice is incredible.  Her slow, hypnotic voice just gets more and more impressive as you listen.  She conveys a passion for her music and her soft accent really draws in the listener.
She seems to be an interesting person as well.  She posted the picture above on her twitter and presumably drew it herself. 

Like it or not, you will absolutely hear more of this girl.  She recently signed a 2.5 million dollar deal with Song Music Publishing, which includes the likes of Bright Eyes and Slightly Stoopid, and apparently is an employee owned company.  Hopefully that means the artist will retain creative control.

If you haven't heard 'Royals' yet, then you should check that song out.  It's one of her quickest tunes and arguably the best on the album.  Most people seem to miss the idea that, as mentioned above, it's mostly sarcastic.  She's highlighting her inexperience (due to being a teenager) and finds it ridiculous that people obsess about these symbols of wealth, but what do her peers actually know about Grey Goose, diamonds, and gold teeth?

I also like the track 'Buzzcut Season', a slower, dreamy tune with a meaning that is up for interpretation (perhaps living in denial about an imperfect world?).


Check out 'A World Alone', one of her quicker songs that seems to be about finding a friend while living in a superficial world: