Pop Recap - March 2020

Artists Covered: 5SOS * Dua Lipa * Itzy * Lauv * Niall Horan * The Weeknd

The biggest exports of the month, here's my review of six different pop records...

"CALM"
5 Seconds Of Summer

27th March 2020

Interscope

Given this is a boyband formed of their own accord it's no real surprise they struggle to define a singular identity as a band and they definitely lack the surety and confidence in direction that helped One Direction sell their music regardless of the quality. That's not to say that 5SOS don't sell records, in fact this album actually bested Dua Lipa in terms of first week sales, but they've never claimed the same status that other hit-making boybands have achieved in the last decade.

As much as I wish it wasn't the case, the identity crisis is all to prevalent on this latest album of theirs and the more I get into it the more I realise the gaping flaws in the presentation and apparent honesty this band plays with. Having bordered on pop punk in their early days, they used to have an edge over their peers. On their last record they traded in respect for trend-chasing 80's pastiche as their pop rock sound was utterly squandered in favour of really unrewarding synthpop that did nothing for the band. On this record, well, they're definitely showing some more ambition that's for sure...

In contemporary fashion, each song sounds like a different sonic experiment that takes a different direction spanning desert rock, pop-trap and synthpop, making for not only their most varied album but also their most inconsistent. Unlike bands who utilise this format of one-song-per-genre experimentation as a chance to expand their borders sonically and explore new depths of their personalities, 5SOS fail to connect on the majority of these tracks. The album is still fraught with lyrical clichés and most of it feels underwritten and rushed, the album is almost entirely lacking in terms of grooves and their dabbling with trap beats for the sake of trends only is at best messy and at worst the song "Old Me" that desperately attempts a relatable and down to earth narrative that is compromised by the cheap, cash-grab beat and frustratingly vague lyrics, in other words: the embodiment of inauthenticity.

On occasion they somewhat strike the balance and find a winning moment, most notably on the soulful opening track "Red Desert" with its wonderful harmonies and sincere folk rock style (both qualities absent from the rest of the album of course), as well as the biting single "Teeth" that actually impressed me enough to make my year end list for 2019 due to its phenomenal groove and epic guitar-driven outro (look at that, more elements totally absent from the rest of the album!). Yeah, sad to say that they totally miss the mark the majority of the time, and frankly this has already been forgotten by everyone but the fans. They might continuously show promise, but it's overshadowed by their perpetual lack of personality that was stretched to breaking point here on CALM. If my sister is reading, this has really shrunk on me since we listened to it.

3.5/10

Best Tracks: Red Desert; Teeth; Lover Of Mine
Worst Tracks: Old Me; Easier; Best Years; Thin White Lies; High

"Future Nostalgia"

Dua Lipa

27th March 2020

Warner

Disco-dipped summery fun, this has perhaps been oversold by critics claiming it to be the best pop album of the year, but it's definitely got a lot to show for.

Having been curious over Dua's next moves ever since "Hotter Than Hell", I'd definitely count myself a fun of hers even if I wasn't won over by her electro-pop debut, an album that pulled a lot of great punches amongst the majority of your none-too-special filler. Now, from the moment she unveiled "Don't Start Now" as the lead single from this, her second studio album, I was pretty stoked to see the direction this would take. Pulling from a range of influences and predominantly 80s dance-pop, this is a welcome break from the hordes of popstars leaning into the trap and R&B of the moment. What's most surprising is that Dua's not alone in this deviation from the mainstream, but more on that later.

In the past, it might have felt like Dua was a bit of a two-note singer in that she only really had two real attitudes, one being excited and sensual whilst the other was confidently independent and in the process of getting over some villainous guy. Of course, she's excellent at writing and selling songs around one of those two themes, but on Future Nostalgia she goes the extra mile and explores a wider range of topics as well as expanding on the narrative of her biggest hits. There's a lot of defiant and empowering energy that many artists try and sell in the grander context of a larger feminist message that can come across as painfully forced, but Dua is effortlessly charming and feminist all at ones in a genuine display of her commanding presence that's definitely reached new heights, supposedly due to needing that extra presence in order to stand out on the EDM tracks by the likes of Calvin Harris and Martin Garrix she's been featured on since her last album.

The album features many peaks, one of which is easily the Daft Punk synth and vocoder work of "Levitating", a track that perfectly demonstrates not only her commitment to these retro sounds of the 80s and 90s she's recreating but also her determination not to become just another pastiche or weak emulation of the sounds she plays with. It's far more believable and memorable this way, and the modern production and smart edits really help to highlight the modernity of this album without relying on the trends of the moment. This is where the album really earns its name, Future Nostalgia being an apt title to describe the exact direction this album takes. Really there's only one song on here that doesn't win me over, that being the slightly cringy "Good In Bed" with its unfortunately irritating and out-of-character lyrics that seem like the regression we didn't need. Still, just one misstep isn't so bad, especially when the rest of what's on offer is this good.

8/10

Best Tracks: Future Nostalgia; Don't Start Now; Physical; Levitating; Hallucinate; Love Again; Break My Heart

Worst Tracks: Good In Bed

"IT'z ME"
Itzy

9th March 2020

JYP Entertainment

K-pop gets a bad rep, and Itzy aren't afraid to lean into the over-the-top pop attitude that's become somewhat ubiquitous with the genre. It's shameless, in your face and unapologetic, and you've got to admire that.

Of course, for an industry formed act it's no surprise they've got the attitude down. What I find so intriguing is the boundaries they're unafraid to break down and the new territory they've exploring outside the confines of what any mainstream pop acts are willing to do here in the west. Playing with deep house, future bass and experimental pop as some sort of industry version of SOPHIE is bold indeed, and whilst they might rely far more on conventional song structures and the inclusion of a trap beat here and there for the trend, they're doing it all in an admirably carefree and confident way which shows how willing they are to progress pop music, and that's something I hugely respect.

The writing is definitely the weakest link, but it's not insufferably cheesy so much as it's a little overplayed for how clichéd it can be. Something to work on then. To be honest, it's more about how convincing they are in the delivery than what they're saying with this kind of group, and the group gives it their all. I didn't want to spend too long on this as it is only an EP, but just know that I'm thrilled at how explosive and unafraid to go further this group is, even if they can trip up on some of their trend chasing.

7/10

Best Tracks: WANNABE; TING TING TING; I DON'T WANNA DANCE

Worst Tracks: YOU MAKE ME; 24HRS

"~how i'm feeling~"
Lauv

6th March 2020

AWAL Recordings

I'll admit, I've had some... opinions... regarding Lauv in the past, but I was determined to approach this album as neutrally as possible.

I feel jealous of the people who liked Lauv's inescapable 2017 single "I Like Me Better", as its radio overplay was a truly formidable force that persisted until the end of 2019 and had me quivering in fear by the second time I heard them announce it on the radio. Despite this and a fair helping of equally irritating singles including this album's fourth single (of ten singles) "f***, i'm lonely", a collaboration with *grits teeth* my absolute favourite popstar Anne-Marie *throws up in mouth*. One of my least favourite songs of last year, I'm pleased to say that the rest of the album is generally a lot less terrible and surprisingly tolerable. 

Most of it still features Lauv's shallow and unconvincing depiction of an unstable millennial by referencing sadness and drugs in the most boringly undetailed and inoffensive songwriting. There's just nothing here of substance, everything's steeped in lowest common denominator clichés and flooded with stupidly dominant bass moments and the generic skittering hi-hats shared with just about every artist clawing their way to mainstream fame and public attention without committing to a distinct or in any way unique personality. As a matter of fact, I'm close to thinking that Lauv's lack of personality and distinction might just be how he's got so popular in the playlist age, where being unengaging background music that doesn't fit squarely in any box is a plus because it means featuring on half of all official playlists on Spotify and other streaming services.

I just can't picture anyone having enough of a connection to Lauv and his music to want to actually buy this album, but I suppose I shouldn't ignore the fact that it's an improvement over his previous work when taken as a whole. The issue is, this is a sixty six minute album that starts to wear thin after just a few hollow slices of painfully dull alt-pop (if it can even be called that). To summarise, the beats and melodies are about as impactful as parachute landing; the writing is about as devoid of emotion and intention as a beige wall; the production is a sterile sheen with no flavour and Lauv himself still manages to be the least interesting part of every single song.

The worst part for me, the part that really tips the balance of this album to the negative, is the insincerity of his sincerity. The whole album is framed as the embodiment of the current generation of millennial and post-millennial awareness on the subject of mental health, and the frustrating memeification and dismissive jokes made about it due to how trendy the topic is today. It's a problem that I feel strongly about due to how radically desensitised to discussing mental health people have become in a world that is this open and yet this shallow, where advice and support is sidelined in favour of humour or, worse, when people make light of a mental health issue they may or may not even have. For so much of this album, Lauv is attempting to portray a lot of this side of the discussion, but even with that context it's become what it was commenting on due to how underwritten and shallow a window into this reality it is. There may be moments of true, uncompromised honesty, but they're surrounded by such hollowness and presented in trend chasing and generic ways that undermine the message and it just frankly rubs me the wrong way.

4/10

Best Tracks: Lonely Eyes; Canada; Modern Loneliness
Worst Tracks: f***, I'm Lonely; Believed; Billy; Tell My Mama; i'm so tired; El Tejano; Tattoos Together

"Heartbreak Weather"
Niall Horan

13th March 2020

Neon Haze / Capitol

Niall Horan is back with a fantastically produced and re-energised pop album that follows 2017's timid and respectable Flicker.

What I didn't expect from Niall's second solo album was for him to throw out the window everything that made his first album great and replace it with full, strong pop rock and synthpop. The change might be unexpected, but it's honestly not so far removed from what One Direction were doing on their later albums, but without the compromises of typical boyband management or the inexcusably bland trap pop of fellow bandmember Liam's own album. Quite honestly, this album feels rather refreshing in the grand scheme of things, a breath of cool 90s air from an anticipatory world that's seen the height of both cheesy pop and Oasis in the same decade; Niall pulls from both worlds and yet his writing remains as spot-on emotional, lovestruck and empathetic as his last record.

If you want proof of concept, look no further than the song "Bend The Rules", a song that navigates the choppy waters of potential cheating without feeling accusatory, narcissistically jealous or anything other than confused, honest and charmingly concerned for the state of his relationship. It puts Niall's husky-edged yet sweet voice at the forefront of a song with a genuine progression and instrumental swell that feels gloriously chilled without sacrificing the emotional emphasis and focus that made the stripped back acoustics of Niall's folk songs excellent on Flicker. It's honestly surprising at how the personality and vulnerability he built up there has translated to a more grand direction that I thought might fizzle out after the unforgettably catchy and swaggering charm of the lead single, the bombastic and rollicking "Nice To Meet Ya".

It's hard to find a flaw with this record, it's retro without feeling unfulfilling and homage-y like Louis and Harry's albums, and it's fresh and modern in its delivery of singalong choruses with genuine emotion and heart-wrenching lyrics that put both Zayn and Liam's trend chasing sensual R&B to shame. If I had to criticise something, it'd have to be with the song "Cross Your Mind" mainly just for how overproduced and compressed it sounds with the all too stiff drum loop, admittedly fun bassline but underachieving chorus. The lyrics too don't quite hit in the same way that the rest of the album does, but the song as a whole does amuse me for how much it sounds like a sped up version of Post Malone's "Circles".

So yeah, a really great and totally worthwhile pop album that takes the cake from even Dua Lipa this month. Truly impressive.

8.5/10

Best Tracks: Heartbreak Weather; Black and White; Bend the Rules; Nice To Meet Ya; Put A Little Love On Me; Arms Of A Stranger; New Angel; Still
Worst Tracks: Cross Your Mind; San Francisco

"After Hours"

The Weeknd

20th March 2020

Jungle City / MXM

Another artist inexplicably contributing to the 80s and 90s dance-pop trend of the moment, The Weeknd has taken his sound to a new place without entirely abandoning R&B.

I feel like describing this album is a little difficult as a whole, due to how many sounds and styles poured into this melting pot of modern trap, synthwave, synthfunk and dream pop. It's my kind of music and, for the most part, it's working for me. This album opens things up with the curiously ambient synth-scape of "Alone Again", a track that wavers without a direction for the majority of its runtime before adding what might be the tackiest trap beat since "Hot Girl Bummer", and it's not exactly the best opener for the album. Of course, what follows is the convoluted and messy mix of tropical-flavoured garage with modern trap and sparkly synths thrown in for good measure. For as much as I love he last thirty seconds, it lacks the clarity and songwriting chops that The Weeknd utilises to make most of the next songs more than worth your time.

"Hardest To Love", the should-be-opener that successfully blends a drum'n'bass beat with watery synths in a fusion that I didn't see coming. Where the last two tracks fell flat on their faces due to how claustrophobic and crowded the mix felt, this track is full of wide open spaces that makes for the perfect backdrop to a song dealing with emotional vulnerability and openness. Thankfully, this spacier sound persists throughout the album and is a great way to show off some outsider synthwork of the sort that doesn't usually hit the mainstream. Of course, Abel's music has always tended to stray from the contemporary, although it usually results in him calling back to music and not helping to progress and experiment like he does here. It's very fulfilling, and far more satisfying than I could have hoped for.

There are several highlights here worth mentioning, but I did want to draw your attention towards the instant fan favourite "Snowchild" due to its storytelling and continued vulnerability. I do appreciate this song, but it does perhaps highlight a fact about this album: the narrative is a continuation of the same self-destructive tale of mental health, drugs, empty love and fame that's taken the front seat in his lyrics from the beginning of his career. It's nothing new, even though the music has changed quite dramatically over time. This can be comforting, but some self awareness or change up would be nice in the future in order to elevate the admittedly solid songwriting. Still, with songs as bright and captivating as "Blinding Lights" and "In Your Eyes", and with the darkness and brooding of "Escape From LA" and "After Hours" leading the charge as some of my favourite moments on the tracklist, I'm not ungrateful for what we have.

7.5/10

Best Tracks: Hardest To Love; Escape To LA; Heartless; Faith; Blinding Lights; In Your Eyes; After Hours; Until I Bleed Out
Worst Tracks: Alone Again; Too Late

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Thank you very much for reading, I hope some of these albums can bring you some joy and positivity during this time. Remember, all these were just my opinions, so please don't be offended if I give your favourite artist a low score.

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