Lorde – Melodrama
(Republic Records)
Reviewed by Bridget Herlihy
The wave of media releases in the build up to the release of Lorde’s long-awaited second album have consistently reminded us that it has been four years since New Zealand’s favorite songstress has released new material. It is hard to fathom that Pure Heroine was released way back in 2013 to global fanfare and a plethora of accolades. Over those four years Lorde, aka Ella Yelich-O’Connor, has become a seasoned traveler and conducted literally hundreds of interviews, with her moniker becoming a household name. She has played some of the most prestigious festivals in the world, including Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza along with an electrifying set at this year’s Coachella festival.
With the phenomenal success of Pure Heroine, written and recorded when Lorde was just 15 years old, it wasn’t long before the masses became eager for new music. They waited. And waited, and then became restless, with some feeling cheated that they were being made to wait so long, as if Lorde herself was forcing time to stand still. But patience is a virtue, and Green Light, the first single from Melodrama was released at the beginning of March, sending an aural jolt of electricity through the ears of fans and naysayers alike. For almost always in the case of debut albums that have been wildly successful, murmurings about the difficult second album quickly build momentum. Coupled with a lengthy wait for a follow up, concerns begin to mount as to whether or not said artist can meet, let alone surpass, the success of the previous album. When news broke that Joel Little, producer and co-mastermind of Pure Heroine, was no longer involved in the project, speculation once again began to mount. But thankfully Lorde did not succumb to the pressures she must have faced in the process of writing her second album, for who knows what the results may have been. There is a saying the proof of the pudding is in the tasting, and Melodrama is nothing short of delectable.
Whereas Pure Heroine had a beat-heavy, signature sound, Melodrama has a far more eclectic and diverse sound, no doubt in part due to Jack Antanoff’s role as co-writer and producer. Stripped back moments such as Liability, which not only showcases the beauty of Lorde’s voice but also a moments of vulnerability that come with the demise of a relationship. Louve begins with vocals over a guitar, and slowly builds to a crescendo halfway through the track, punctuated with the line “broadcast the boom boom boom and make them all dance to it” which is destined to become a defining moment, and may have been the modus operandi of the production of the album in its entirety. The album opens with the infectious Green Light, setting the album’s tone of life after love and loss. The edgy multi-faceted melodic Sober is undoubtedly one of the album’s standout tracks, along with the catchy Homemade Dynamite (who can possibly resist the sweetly sung line “blow shit up with homemade dynamite?”). Hard Feelings masterfully blends together moments of melancholic pop with industrial undertones which segues into the beat-driven Loveless, which shines with elements of retro 80s pop tunes.
Melodrama is industropop at its best, and although the album probably doesn’t include an instant anthem like Royals, its diversity is sublime, and it has well and truly been worth the wait. This is the album you have been waiting for. All hail Lorde.
