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| 'WHEN WE ALL FALL ALSEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?' - Billie Elish (2019). |
So the Album dropped at midnight last night, and I've listened through the full thing 3 times. Twice in the correct song order, once on shuffle. I always listen to albums in order, but this was actually recommended by Billie herself on Instagram a few days ago to do, so I wanted to see if there was actually a difference in listening through the track listing properly or not. The album is all within the same theme, whether it could be said that she's talking about the same person all the way through is another topic, but every song seems to deal with a person who she loves, then loved. So from a story telling perspective that the songs seem to convey, I would also recommend listening to the whole thing in order at least once.
'So you're a tough guy, like it really rough guy.' 'You say come over baby, I think you're pretty.' 'You are, my strange addiction.' 'You didn't mean to say I love you, I love you, And I don't want to.' I took those lyrics from four different songs. So that's the theme here, young love, broken hearts, pain, happiness, anger, it's all there. And it's executed beautifully through rage and sorrow. I loved it.
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| Billie Eilish performing live in 2018. |
The Album opens with a 13-second studio outtake, titled '!!!!!!!', which is basically just an introduction to the Album, and it's actually really funny, and a nice way to start. 'I have taken out my invisiline and this is the album'. This is one thing I loved throughout the record, there's a few audio clips of studio outtakes scattered throughout. It makes the Album feel natural, and despite it's very clean production and sound quality, manages to make it raw in a good way.
So the real opener is 'bad guy' and oh my god, this is the hit. The vocal effects on this are so good, with the lyrics and spacey vibes in the chorus, this was one of my favourites through the first listen. This one seems to be the most popular on Social Media on the first day of release, and Billie actually dropped a Music Video for it along with the Album Launch, so big things were expected from this song from the beginning. I highly recommend you check it out. Other songs that really stood out to me, and that I loved are 'my strange addiction', 'all the good girls go to hell' and 'goodbye'. Those first two really have the vibes from her Debut EP if you were looking for more of that, but 'goodbye' closes the Album as the third of three-in-a-row 'hard hitters', the slow emotional songs. It could be said that the Album has a lacklustre ending as the last part of 'goodbye' just fades out, but I think it really fits. This record doesn't tell the tale of a success, or a happy ending, it's built on despair and loss and hurt, a relationship that had a sh*t ending, so having a quiet, somewhat 'nothing' ending for the Album is a really great subtle representation of the story.
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| Billie Eilish with Finneas O'Connell, her brother and the producer of her EP and Album. |
It was actually difficult to find a negative aspect to this. The only thing I could really say is that the bass is heavy on pretty much every song. It could make things sound the same to some people, but I think the brilliant lyrics, storytelling and use of different acoustic and electronic instruments really help to differentiate every song. One thing I will say though, this is a 'Headphone Album' in my opinion. And not ear buds, or AirPods for our advanced f*ckers, no, Headphones. I don't even think a large stereo system could do this Album justice, it's made for a solo listen, a phone speaker just won't do it justice. The Album is all about being in recluse, being alone, isolation, and these are the ideal listening conditions for the record. Darkness, a pair of headphones, and full f*cking volume. If you do that, you'll see the brilliance that this Album has to offer. Hearing her calm yet pain-ridden voice sing over a bass that will literally make your headphones shake, is what makes it.
The production on this Album, is quality. It can mostly be credited to, along with a heavy share in the song writing, to Billie's brother, Finneas. His production here is fantastic, every instrument either electronic or acoustic is just nailed. Some electric guitar solos, a beautiful one on '8' is really good, and he's just made everything sound really good. Another thing, this record had 4 songs released prior to the full thing being put out, 'bury a friend', 'wish you were gay', 'you should see me in a crown' and 'when the party's over'. Now all of these were already f*cking amazing, especially 'bury a friend' which blew my mind when I first heard it, but with the full Album released and listening to it as a whole, the already released songs actually sound much better surrounded by the rest of the record. It just gives them a vibe and place to sit in, rather than having to try and stand out alone, they're now pieces of a puzzle, and they just sound even better. So, so good.
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| Finneas O'Connell in 2018. |
So overall, Billie Eilish's Debut LP is a moody, depressingly positive, dark story that will still have you dancing. Lyrically it's perfect, production is quality, and presentation is absolutely nailed. Billie and Finneas have shook the music world with this release, and somehow Billie's reputation will be taken to another level. Thank you for reading.
'WHEN WE ALL FALL ALSEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?'
- Billie Eilish (2019)
9.8/10
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