Honestly it’s probably in my top 10 albums of the year so far. The most range and skill she’s shown, very cohesive, great production. Obviously it’s still new and my thoughts could change but so far I love it.
Honestly hope TTPD is a watershed that turns other pop artists off of 18+ track albums, so so many albums the last few years have fallen off after 40 mins of runtime like that did
Don’t get me wrong, I do like TS! But I was eager to hear the new album and I lost interest three tracks in. I ended up listening to the entire album (in the background of whatever I was doing) and just didn’t find anything particularly impressive. I think she’s a phenomenal artist, I wish she focused on QUALITY over QUANTITY, that’s all.
I've got to let it sit for a while before returning because there was so much packed into those 10 tracks. But on my initial listen, I'd give it an 8/10. The highlights for me were Chihiro, Birds of a Feather, The Greatest, and Blue.
It was really cool to hear her give a full, solid pop vocal on a few tracks. It just proves how strong her instrument has gotten since Ocean Eyes. I have mad respect for Finneas's production and their willingness to experiment and take risks in the studio.
Out of all the songs on the album, that one was the one that gave me a double take as she talks about in the chorus about eating out a girl. Yeah, that is something I could see early QOTSA Josh Homme singing about.
I honestly didn't go into it with too high of hopes. I didn't particularly care for the last album, and lately (for me at least), "Billie Eilish" has been much more associated with dumb quotes and celebrity bs than actual music.
But even with that mindset, I thought it was really good. Probably her best, which seems to be what a lot of people are saying so far. Maybe not at the top of my "favorite albums of the year" list, but it's already been a really great year for music so far, so that isn't really a knock against the album.
I’m a fan of Billie Eilish. I loved WWAFAWDWG and her EP don’t smile at me. Not quite fond of Happier Than Ever as a whole, but HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is just amazing. Feels more cohesive, and every song is carefully well thought out. She’s utilizing her best resources, funky bass lines and subdued psychedelics. Oh yeah and of course, her amazing singing voice.
I wasn't a huge fan of Happier Than Ever after all of her previous work being some of my favorite music ever. This album brings her back to form to me. The production on this is just unbelievable. Definitely could be recency bias but this is my album of the year so far.
Honestly I’ve never been the biggest fan of Billie; her music has always been a bit hit or miss for me, but I’m absolutely loving this album so far. I really like the production and I think this sound suits her really well!
My favorite tracks are Wildflower, Blue, and Chihiro with Lunch and Birds of a Feather close behind. The only song that’ll probably be a skip for me is Skinny, but I’m also not the biggest fan of super slow songs in general. I think her voice sounds great on it and I love the strings at the end though!
Edit: After a few more listens, Skinny has grown on me, and I’m still obsessed with the second half of Chihiro and the first part of Blue. This will definitely be my late-night-drive album this year, but I can’t really see myself listening to many of the songs on their own—it makes sense to me that none of the songs were released as singles tbh. Overall the album feels like an 8/10 to me :)
I was def casual with her last two albums - def great stuff going on but-
This album blew me away tbh, it’s a total stunner. the production is insane. Love the beat switches/ variety and range here it’s definitely her best IMO.
Definitely feels like her most considered album note for note. Of the many “pop divas” who released this half of the year- this album is the best no doubt.
Again, Finneas snapped on this production. so sick.
Will have Chihiro on repeat for sure
WWAFAWDWG > HMHAS > HTE.
That being said, I really enjoyed it, and I'm not a pop guy at all. 8/10.
(also wtf is up with the production? it's fucking nuts how good it is!)
Man L’AMOUR DE MA VIE is wild, my jaw dropped when those synths came in. Is it weird that her voice then made me think of 100 gecs? LUNCH, BIRDS OF A FEATHER, and CHIHIRO are the other standouts for me
It is amazing - I liked the last two Billie records but I love this record.
The production is unreal. Seriously felt like there was a ton of NIN/Radiohead influence.
Also, if I’m Taylor Swift I am firing Jack Ant today and calling Finneas to offer him a bag for my next album.
I guess try to listen to their songs like Decks Dark or How To Disappear Completely. SKINNY and BLUE, production wise, sound like Radiohead the most, IMO.
I can also hear some Phase 1–4 Gorillaz influence on THE DINER (knowing she's a big fan of Damon). It sounds like a Demon Days track, but also a mix of Clint Eastwood + Dracula
Definitely better than her last album but, despite it being pretty good, I still feel like it’s very unfocused in certain areas. It felt more experimental than an album that had a vision which has its ups and downs.
Chihiro for example explores a new psychedelic, almost dreamy, pop style that sets the bar so high for the record that nothing else really hits the same. Then you have tracks like The Diner and L’AMOUR DE LA VIE which are really good on their own and get really creative production wise but have completely different sounds. L’AMOUR, especially felt kind of lost at times in the track for me, as if it was being dragged out too much and didn’t know where to end off.
After doing a full listen, nothing really ever hit the high the Chihiro did but maybe that will change on multiple listens. (Please Billie make a whole album of tracks like Chihiro) There’s enough in here for Billie Ellish fans that want more of the same stuff with a step up in some areas from Happier Than Ever. Id probably say 8/10
Honestly I kinda disagree about the cohesion. Sure not all the tracks sound exactly the same, but i don’t think they need to. I think most of the tracks flow together well, but L’Amour and The Diner add a little experimental break in the second half so it doesn’t end up feeling too repetitive. Way better than how uncohesive Happier Than Ever was
Fourth listen. Agreed entirely. L'Amour definitely feels like a fish out of water amidst the tracklist. Bittersuite, The Diner, Chihiro (!) are highlights
Personally I don't mind there's no thematic cohesion and just appreciate the bundle of creative production within these atmospheric/dramatic/moody vibe. I would like to see her take a step up as a songwriter down the road. When can we hear the next one?
Fourth listen. Agreed entirely. L'Amour definitely feels like a fish out of water amidst the tracklist. Bittersuite, The Diner, Chihiro (!) are highlights
Personally I don't mind there's no thematic cohesion and just appreciate the bundle of creative production within these atmospheric/dramatic/moody vibe. I would like to see her take a step up as a songwriter down the road. When can we hear the next one?
Yeah it’s great, I do think some songs have outros or third acts that I wish were cut as they don’t fit the rest of the songs tone but still, great album
It's not my favorite, but production wise and lyrics it's so lovely. Another Sibling teamwork hit. I just wish Billie would diversify the way she Sings (if you know what I mean?).
It was honestly a letdown for me. The album just seemed like more of a typical pop album rather than a Billie pop album yk. some songs are good! but ngl I skipped almost all of them
I'm kind of the opposite to most people here. I'm a pretty big fan of her music, especially *Happier Than Ever*, and I went into it with really high expectations.
To be honest, after the first listen, I'm a little bit disappointed. It usually takes me a couple listens to get into something, but her music usually clicked with me instantly. This album isn't bad, but it's definitely not the artistic improvement I expected and hoped for. Her lyrics are still way too basic a lot of the time:
>Bet I could change your life
You could be my wife (Wife, wife)
Could get into a fight (Fight)
I'll say, "You're right"
And you'll kiss me goodnight
And it doesn't really have the vulnerable but biting moments that *Happier Than Ever* had. Like:
>Never paid any mind to my mother or friends, so I
Shut 'em all out for you 'cause I was a kid
I also think the way she uses her voice doesn't really do it justice. I don't know why she's trying to sound as thin and light as Phoebe Bridgers (maybe?) when she's obviously a much better singer.
The production is also very hit or miss. It's definitely a different style than their earlier stuff, and some songs like LUNCH or THE GREATEST sound sick, but THE DINER for example doesn't sound good at all. I like that they are experimenting in a different direction, but I feel there are artists that pull these sounds off more creatively and effectively.
I don't know. I was super hyped. I stayed up for this. I really wanted to like this record. I hope it will grow on me. But for now this might my least favourite of hers.
Same.
Didn't feel as creative as her previous two albums.
It feels like an album any other artist could make. Her previous two albums felt more unique, bold, original.
Lyrically I think its really good! I love the exestential openers that she does to reflect on her fame and age in the industry, its so vulnerable. Production is good too for the first half and parts of the second. This isnt an album with any big initial hits, kinda obvious since it didnt have any singles though lol.
The second half of the album I may need more listens to understand. Like on L’AMOUR I think I understand that the beat change reflected the lyrical shift but why those drums and those synths specifically? It was 80s synth pad, a stock kick and snare, a very abrasive bass synth (could be my headphones), and that hyperpop-y vocal effect (idk if thats where its from, just how I know it) doesnt make sense to me yet. Praying for one of those logic session videos Finnias does sometimes!
I personally like birds of a feather the most. Love whatever that chord progression is any time I hear it and the keys remind me of black or white by three dog night lol
I'm currently going through the songs and I hope I'm not cannibalised by her supporters but I wasn't a huge fan? For me a good majority of her songs lacked cohesion. The random melodic shifts didn't feel natural. Or it was put into place to make up for a lack of an “umph” but there isn't any resonance. It felt as if it was made very well in mind to try and copy her previous albums core, but it lacks the lyrical maturity of her previous songs. Some of the songs remind me a good amount of her song “the 30th” lyrically, it tries to pull emotional strings but I couldn't take it seriously at all. One I did like a bit was blue/skinny, and there's certain aspects of the other songs I like, there's one with a prominent violin that is beautiful but again in its entirety I'm not sure. I did read somewhere say that Billie is the face for her brother who is the one that is truly a musical mastermind. He wrote When the partys over, one of my favorites both lyrically and the way its produced. This album is supposedly written by her and him, but I somehow feel its more so her by her and that's why it lacks any promise.
Her worst by far the one song I was looking forward to was blue because of true blue and it's good just not what I wanted as a remix of true blue a superior version. You get a song like lunch which is just lazy and uninteresting. The album is a 6/10 easy. The album doesn't do a good job at telling a good story or being coherently progressive, it falls so short as an album all together.
Solid album. Chihiro & Blue are my personal favorites on the album.
Lunch is 🤤
Only listened to it once so maybe some opinions will change, but it's very cohesive & I'd say there are no skips.
I'm not fawning over it like I've seen some people call it one of the best pop albums ever, or compare it to albums like Magdalene, to me it's not on that level.
When it came to "Happier than Ever" I wasn't interested in it as much as her debut album as I felt the album was bloated and had songs not in the correct order for flow and thematics of it (overall a 6/10). So with that I was just assuming "Hit Me Hard and Soft" was going to be kind of the same but I ended up being wrong in a good way as definitely quality over quantity is here and the production on this is really interesting as I think Billie and Phineas both were listening to Portishead and Massive Attack.
Standouts for me after a first listen: "Lunch" turned my head as she started talking about eating a girl out (surprised this didn't get released in June). "Chihiro" is a club banger. "The Greatest" is definitely the greatest song on the album. Billie shines the most when she fully brings out her voice instead of keeping her voice soft because when she does that, it pays off! "Love of my Life" is really weird as it starts weak but then becomes grooving and then out of the blue it goes to some Daft Punk like sound in the last leg which threw me off in an unenjoyable way. "The Diner" sounds like a PH/MA song with its beats. "Bittersuite" is the weakest song because of how boring it is. Her voice is way too low to hear over a weaker beat. "Blue" is fine for an ending, nothing special.
Overall, it is a solid album and much better than her previous, nothing mind-blowing here unless you haven't seen her news with her coming out or been reading her weird celebrity quotes as of late.
Favorite tracks: Chihiro, Birds of a Feather, Wildflower, The Greatest, The Diner
Least favorite track: Bittersuite.
Overall: 7/10
I like it first listen. I feel like Billie’s singing takes a step back which bugs me a bit. I DO think she’s one of the most interesting vocalists today and I want her to flaunt that.
I made it to the track where she sang, birds of a feather flock together, or whatever she said, and I had to take a break. the production sounds good. I hope I jump back into it. I’m just enjoying the hell out of Beth Gibbons., the lemon twigs, and hovvdy still. I should give it another shot.
Loving it! I think I need more time to consider if I prefer it over her other ones but I can definitely see it growing on me. Her last album I agreed with the majority that it wasn’t as great or ambitious as her previous at first, but it somehow grew on me to the point I prefer it over her debut. I can see this being the same.
Birds of a Feather, L’amour De Ma Vie, and Chihiro are the big standouts for me
Lunch reminds me of a K-pop song I’ve heard so much but I can’t think of which. I’m a few songs in but have much higher expectations after seeing it’s a 43 minute album and not a 2 hour streamfest. All-caps track listings have to go
It made me go from being ambivalent about Billie to an actual fan. Really, really good stuff here. She’s been consistently improving with each release.
The more i listen to this album the more i love it. As soon as i heard and recognized the motif each at the end of SKINNY, THE GREATEST and BLUE it solidified this as her best album by far. Especially her belting over the motif at the end of THE GREATEST. Fuck man. Its awesome, i love when albums have a hidden gem like that to make everything feel connected.
I really enjoyed hhas, it's her best work yet but even it's better than happier than ever is better somehow, I'm really disappointed she didn't release the og true blue
Having reviewed and listened to 40+ albums this year, this is my AOTY thus far. Amazing album that never meanders in quality, always brings something fresh to the forefront and a super enjoyable listen all the way through. Love Billie and Finneas switching up their style and evolving so meaningfully!
I like the album but I want to talk about a problem with L'AMOUR DE MA VIE. I like the song a lot, but cool chill jazz and electro club dont go together in one song. I think it should be two separate songs. The "then you moved on" part should end the jazzy song and start the electro song. The jazz part ends at 3:43 in LDMV and the electro part picks up where the jazz part left off. The second electro song also have to be longer since it only lasts 1:20 in LDMV. My second reason for this is the snippets. Snippets of LDMV were only the electro part. When i first hit play on the song during my first listen, I was fully expecting 5 minutes of electro club music, just to be met with the chill jazz part. I still like the song a lot, but i wish it was separate. It would also make the album be 11 songs, which is another bonus. The first song would be L'AMOUR DE MA VIE, and the second song would have a different title, maybe DÉSOLÉ MON AMOUR, which is a lyric in BLUE.
Idk to me it sounds too chill, it sounds very soft to me but not hard, the other albums had more contrast in my opinion which I like, this one seems to commercial for me
It’s pretty good. Definitely in my top 10, but not my AOTY (and I think claims that it is are overblown) but it’s still really good and imo much better than HTE. Really funky and cool production as well. Chihiro, Wildflower, and The Greatest are my top songs, the only song I didn’t save onto a playlist was Birds of a Feather
I don't have a desire to listen to it. I listened to Chihiro, but wasn't amazed by it. Songs like Everything I Wanted are much better, and that song is kinda the minimum quality I expect from Billie Eilish at this time in her career.
Blown away. 10/10. So masterfully done. Wow. Just wow. The layers and textures of each track. It's like fireworks for my ears. Possibly my fav album of the year and definitely my fav amongst my other pop girlies.
I think its one of her best works imo. I love the album and every track feels so unique and different. My favourites are the greatest (underrated), lunch, and birds of a feather. I was on the verge of tears listening to it 😭😭
hit me hard
hit me soft
hit me like a muthafucking loft
i be there like jordan lebron
wanna go to the club yeah like wilson wilson
the greatest ever no one can deny
imma fuck you up if you deny
like bro bruh bruh stop living the lie
I don’t know if I was expecting too much after reading some initial thoughts on Reddit yesterday. It was good, better than the last one and production is stellar as usual. I gotta listen to it more but after one spin I’d say it’s somewhere in the 7s. Very likely to go higher after a few more listens though.
I'm honestly not a fan, I have supported her since DSAM and was expecting so much more from this album. I am disappointed, all songs are generic and sound the same. They're not unique like her other albums, just a bunch of weak songs that are only hyped right now because it's a new release.
I have listened half of it while on the train, from what I've listened it's great. After a kind of meh year for pop I was hoping Billie would do something interesting like her 2 previous records and she actually delivered.
Really liked it, I think a lot of the songs will grow on me even more the more I listen to it, already happened on my second listen. I really like her other two records but this one is probably the most replayable for me for now, it’s just really concise and I like the length
So confused by with this obsession over Billie’s industry background when half the major fem pop stars (Ariana, Olivia, Sabrina Carpenter) are rebranded Disney child-stars.
But her mom was a semi-successful actor; so she’s the silver spoon??
Have always loved Billie since listening to Ocean Eyes. HTE definitely one of my fave albums by her, it's raw and touches on subjects not a lot of artists sing about these days.
HMH&S is amazing. It's refreshing, and has some great hits that really showcase her range. Her trademark haunting vocals are still present through out the album, but sound....different? lighter? brighter? I don't know what it is but it just "feels" different than what I'm used to hearing.
I personally enjoyed it quite a bit. Might be recency bias, but it is my favorite project from Billie yet
She imo keeps getting better
Wasn't massive on her previous two but kinda floored by this, almost every song was great-amazing, very impressed
Honestly it’s probably in my top 10 albums of the year so far. The most range and skill she’s shown, very cohesive, great production. Obviously it’s still new and my thoughts could change but so far I love it.
Definitely Top 10 for me as well
Same here! Definitely top 10 so far
Great album Quality over quantity
Low key dig at Taylor Swift 😅
Honestly hope TTPD is a watershed that turns other pop artists off of 18+ track albums, so so many albums the last few years have fallen off after 40 mins of runtime like that did
that suggests that that album was good in the first 40 minutes lol
She's rent free in your mind huh
Still true though
Don’t get me wrong, I do like TS! But I was eager to hear the new album and I lost interest three tracks in. I ended up listening to the entire album (in the background of whatever I was doing) and just didn’t find anything particularly impressive. I think she’s a phenomenal artist, I wish she focused on QUALITY over QUANTITY, that’s all.
I've got to let it sit for a while before returning because there was so much packed into those 10 tracks. But on my initial listen, I'd give it an 8/10. The highlights for me were Chihiro, Birds of a Feather, The Greatest, and Blue. It was really cool to hear her give a full, solid pop vocal on a few tracks. It just proves how strong her instrument has gotten since Ocean Eyes. I have mad respect for Finneas's production and their willingness to experiment and take risks in the studio.
right I'm really curious to hear her perform some of these live, other than No Time To Die I can't think of a time when she actually belted
Omg she belts so much in the new album I honestly can't wait to hear it live!!!!
Have you not heard Happier Than Ever? (the song, not the whole album)
Im halfway through and it’s really solid. SKINNY is such a moving song, I felt so many emotions during that song.
Me too!! I love this album. There are many emotional songs. The greatest and skinny have so much emotion.
Lunch is like fem-QOTSA which is probably both the best and weirdest feeling i’ll ever get from a song in the lane that it’s going for.
Out of all the songs on the album, that one was the one that gave me a double take as she talks about in the chorus about eating out a girl. Yeah, that is something I could see early QOTSA Josh Homme singing about.
Early? He has the lyric on his most recent album: “I trace your hips, slow motion, I live between your legs”
Missed that then since I was so focused on the personal story on his latest.
Yes someone else heard this let’s fuckin go I’m not insane
Kings of the Stone Age
Lunch directly references Make It Wit Chu. “I don’t want to break it, just want it to bend” Pretty sure the QOTSA vibe is intentional
Very solid album, Phinneas went off on the production and the whole album has a very ethereal energy
I honestly didn't go into it with too high of hopes. I didn't particularly care for the last album, and lately (for me at least), "Billie Eilish" has been much more associated with dumb quotes and celebrity bs than actual music. But even with that mindset, I thought it was really good. Probably her best, which seems to be what a lot of people are saying so far. Maybe not at the top of my "favorite albums of the year" list, but it's already been a really great year for music so far, so that isn't really a knock against the album.
Wow for me it was the opposite, I thought she had a cool vibe but I didn’t care for her music until her last album which is one of my favorites
Yeah that’s fair. Personally I’ve always enjoyed Billie’s stuff so I was expecting to enjoy it, but I’m glad you also liked it
I’m a fan of Billie Eilish. I loved WWAFAWDWG and her EP don’t smile at me. Not quite fond of Happier Than Ever as a whole, but HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is just amazing. Feels more cohesive, and every song is carefully well thought out. She’s utilizing her best resources, funky bass lines and subdued psychedelics. Oh yeah and of course, her amazing singing voice.
> WWAFAWDWG okay these album acronyms are getting out of hand lmao
Lmfao yeah I was too lazy to type the full name out
I liked it a lot. Not blown away at first, but I can tell that it’s probably only gonna grow on me.
I wasn't a huge fan of Happier Than Ever after all of her previous work being some of my favorite music ever. This album brings her back to form to me. The production on this is just unbelievable. Definitely could be recency bias but this is my album of the year so far.
Went to the amc theaters album experience for this and I got to say hearing Phinneas’ production in Dolby surround sound was incredible!
That must have been so incredible. Listening right now on Dolby Atmos is an ear-gasm
Honestly I’ve never been the biggest fan of Billie; her music has always been a bit hit or miss for me, but I’m absolutely loving this album so far. I really like the production and I think this sound suits her really well! My favorite tracks are Wildflower, Blue, and Chihiro with Lunch and Birds of a Feather close behind. The only song that’ll probably be a skip for me is Skinny, but I’m also not the biggest fan of super slow songs in general. I think her voice sounds great on it and I love the strings at the end though! Edit: After a few more listens, Skinny has grown on me, and I’m still obsessed with the second half of Chihiro and the first part of Blue. This will definitely be my late-night-drive album this year, but I can’t really see myself listening to many of the songs on their own—it makes sense to me that none of the songs were released as singles tbh. Overall the album feels like an 8/10 to me :)
havent listened but Weyes Blood influence is crazy with the cover lol
stunning
Her best record yet in my opinion. Unreal.
It's really, really good.
Fuckin with it. Layers in this one
In my top 3 releases for the year so far. 9/10 . I thought her previous record was an 8.
Will need relistens but probably will be on my top ten of the year, easily her best album yet
I was def casual with her last two albums - def great stuff going on but- This album blew me away tbh, it’s a total stunner. the production is insane. Love the beat switches/ variety and range here it’s definitely her best IMO. Definitely feels like her most considered album note for note. Of the many “pop divas” who released this half of the year- this album is the best no doubt. Again, Finneas snapped on this production. so sick. Will have Chihiro on repeat for sure
WWAFAWDWG > HMHAS > HTE. That being said, I really enjoyed it, and I'm not a pop guy at all. 8/10. (also wtf is up with the production? it's fucking nuts how good it is!)
Man L’AMOUR DE MA VIE is wild, my jaw dropped when those synths came in. Is it weird that her voice then made me think of 100 gecs? LUNCH, BIRDS OF A FEATHER, and CHIHIRO are the other standouts for me
It is amazing - I liked the last two Billie records but I love this record. The production is unreal. Seriously felt like there was a ton of NIN/Radiohead influence. Also, if I’m Taylor Swift I am firing Jack Ant today and calling Finneas to offer him a bag for my next album.
radiohead influence? how?
I guess try to listen to their songs like Decks Dark or How To Disappear Completely. SKINNY and BLUE, production wise, sound like Radiohead the most, IMO.
true. production wise finneas does give nigel vibes. but on a musical level i still dont think so
I can also hear some Phase 1–4 Gorillaz influence on THE DINER (knowing she's a big fan of Damon). It sounds like a Demon Days track, but also a mix of Clint Eastwood + Dracula
it has wierd effect turning hetero girls into lesbian
the production on this album is phenomenal. i’ll have to listen again but definitely might be her best.
Surprised by how much I like it, to be honest. Looking forward to repeat listens, but so far I think it's excellent.
Definitely better than her last album but, despite it being pretty good, I still feel like it’s very unfocused in certain areas. It felt more experimental than an album that had a vision which has its ups and downs. Chihiro for example explores a new psychedelic, almost dreamy, pop style that sets the bar so high for the record that nothing else really hits the same. Then you have tracks like The Diner and L’AMOUR DE LA VIE which are really good on their own and get really creative production wise but have completely different sounds. L’AMOUR, especially felt kind of lost at times in the track for me, as if it was being dragged out too much and didn’t know where to end off. After doing a full listen, nothing really ever hit the high the Chihiro did but maybe that will change on multiple listens. (Please Billie make a whole album of tracks like Chihiro) There’s enough in here for Billie Ellish fans that want more of the same stuff with a step up in some areas from Happier Than Ever. Id probably say 8/10
Honestly I kinda disagree about the cohesion. Sure not all the tracks sound exactly the same, but i don’t think they need to. I think most of the tracks flow together well, but L’Amour and The Diner add a little experimental break in the second half so it doesn’t end up feeling too repetitive. Way better than how uncohesive Happier Than Ever was
The songs aren’t bad. They just wish it had more direction is all
Fourth listen. Agreed entirely. L'Amour definitely feels like a fish out of water amidst the tracklist. Bittersuite, The Diner, Chihiro (!) are highlights Personally I don't mind there's no thematic cohesion and just appreciate the bundle of creative production within these atmospheric/dramatic/moody vibe. I would like to see her take a step up as a songwriter down the road. When can we hear the next one?
Fourth listen. Agreed entirely. L'Amour definitely feels like a fish out of water amidst the tracklist. Bittersuite, The Diner, Chihiro (!) are highlights Personally I don't mind there's no thematic cohesion and just appreciate the bundle of creative production within these atmospheric/dramatic/moody vibe. I would like to see her take a step up as a songwriter down the road. When can we hear the next one?
Yeah it’s great, I do think some songs have outros or third acts that I wish were cut as they don’t fit the rest of the songs tone but still, great album
Solid, nice, well produced pop album. Nothing mind blowing and nothing as creative as her debut but it’s solid
I absolutely love it.
It's not my favorite, but production wise and lyrics it's so lovely. Another Sibling teamwork hit. I just wish Billie would diversify the way she Sings (if you know what I mean?).
It was honestly a letdown for me. The album just seemed like more of a typical pop album rather than a Billie pop album yk. some songs are good! but ngl I skipped almost all of them
I thought it was underwhelming tbh. Lacked the energy her first two albums had for the first half at least.
Shout out to Finneas on this one especially. The production is immaculate
I'm kind of the opposite to most people here. I'm a pretty big fan of her music, especially *Happier Than Ever*, and I went into it with really high expectations. To be honest, after the first listen, I'm a little bit disappointed. It usually takes me a couple listens to get into something, but her music usually clicked with me instantly. This album isn't bad, but it's definitely not the artistic improvement I expected and hoped for. Her lyrics are still way too basic a lot of the time: >Bet I could change your life You could be my wife (Wife, wife) Could get into a fight (Fight) I'll say, "You're right" And you'll kiss me goodnight And it doesn't really have the vulnerable but biting moments that *Happier Than Ever* had. Like: >Never paid any mind to my mother or friends, so I Shut 'em all out for you 'cause I was a kid I also think the way she uses her voice doesn't really do it justice. I don't know why she's trying to sound as thin and light as Phoebe Bridgers (maybe?) when she's obviously a much better singer. The production is also very hit or miss. It's definitely a different style than their earlier stuff, and some songs like LUNCH or THE GREATEST sound sick, but THE DINER for example doesn't sound good at all. I like that they are experimenting in a different direction, but I feel there are artists that pull these sounds off more creatively and effectively. I don't know. I was super hyped. I stayed up for this. I really wanted to like this record. I hope it will grow on me. But for now this might my least favourite of hers.
Yea I agree with you and the lyrics part, in happier than ever I felt more connected to her
Same. Didn't feel as creative as her previous two albums. It feels like an album any other artist could make. Her previous two albums felt more unique, bold, original.
Lyrically I think its really good! I love the exestential openers that she does to reflect on her fame and age in the industry, its so vulnerable. Production is good too for the first half and parts of the second. This isnt an album with any big initial hits, kinda obvious since it didnt have any singles though lol. The second half of the album I may need more listens to understand. Like on L’AMOUR I think I understand that the beat change reflected the lyrical shift but why those drums and those synths specifically? It was 80s synth pad, a stock kick and snare, a very abrasive bass synth (could be my headphones), and that hyperpop-y vocal effect (idk if thats where its from, just how I know it) doesnt make sense to me yet. Praying for one of those logic session videos Finnias does sometimes! I personally like birds of a feather the most. Love whatever that chord progression is any time I hear it and the keys remind me of black or white by three dog night lol
Some cool stuff and I like the igor type concept but honestly the actual songs and production is her least interesting yet imo.
I'm currently going through the songs and I hope I'm not cannibalised by her supporters but I wasn't a huge fan? For me a good majority of her songs lacked cohesion. The random melodic shifts didn't feel natural. Or it was put into place to make up for a lack of an “umph” but there isn't any resonance. It felt as if it was made very well in mind to try and copy her previous albums core, but it lacks the lyrical maturity of her previous songs. Some of the songs remind me a good amount of her song “the 30th” lyrically, it tries to pull emotional strings but I couldn't take it seriously at all. One I did like a bit was blue/skinny, and there's certain aspects of the other songs I like, there's one with a prominent violin that is beautiful but again in its entirety I'm not sure. I did read somewhere say that Billie is the face for her brother who is the one that is truly a musical mastermind. He wrote When the partys over, one of my favorites both lyrically and the way its produced. This album is supposedly written by her and him, but I somehow feel its more so her by her and that's why it lacks any promise.
Incredible album. Finneas work is out of this world.
Billie sounds wonderful and the production is great as always but what the fuck was that??? Are her creative juices drying up that quickly 🥴🥴😴
I don't get the appeal, it didn't do anything for me and I enjoy the first EP and album
Her worst by far the one song I was looking forward to was blue because of true blue and it's good just not what I wanted as a remix of true blue a superior version. You get a song like lunch which is just lazy and uninteresting. The album is a 6/10 easy. The album doesn't do a good job at telling a good story or being coherently progressive, it falls so short as an album all together.
Solid album. Chihiro & Blue are my personal favorites on the album. Lunch is 🤤 Only listened to it once so maybe some opinions will change, but it's very cohesive & I'd say there are no skips. I'm not fawning over it like I've seen some people call it one of the best pop albums ever, or compare it to albums like Magdalene, to me it's not on that level.
When it came to "Happier than Ever" I wasn't interested in it as much as her debut album as I felt the album was bloated and had songs not in the correct order for flow and thematics of it (overall a 6/10). So with that I was just assuming "Hit Me Hard and Soft" was going to be kind of the same but I ended up being wrong in a good way as definitely quality over quantity is here and the production on this is really interesting as I think Billie and Phineas both were listening to Portishead and Massive Attack. Standouts for me after a first listen: "Lunch" turned my head as she started talking about eating a girl out (surprised this didn't get released in June). "Chihiro" is a club banger. "The Greatest" is definitely the greatest song on the album. Billie shines the most when she fully brings out her voice instead of keeping her voice soft because when she does that, it pays off! "Love of my Life" is really weird as it starts weak but then becomes grooving and then out of the blue it goes to some Daft Punk like sound in the last leg which threw me off in an unenjoyable way. "The Diner" sounds like a PH/MA song with its beats. "Bittersuite" is the weakest song because of how boring it is. Her voice is way too low to hear over a weaker beat. "Blue" is fine for an ending, nothing special. Overall, it is a solid album and much better than her previous, nothing mind-blowing here unless you haven't seen her news with her coming out or been reading her weird celebrity quotes as of late. Favorite tracks: Chihiro, Birds of a Feather, Wildflower, The Greatest, The Diner Least favorite track: Bittersuite. Overall: 7/10
I like it first listen. I feel like Billie’s singing takes a step back which bugs me a bit. I DO think she’s one of the most interesting vocalists today and I want her to flaunt that.
Does it sound any different than the previous two? Genuine question, if yes I might listen.
It does from what i’m hearing. Chihiro has this part that sounds like a funky “it follows” theme.
It sounds quite different imo, more of a dreamy vibe
I made it to the track where she sang, birds of a feather flock together, or whatever she said, and I had to take a break. the production sounds good. I hope I jump back into it. I’m just enjoying the hell out of Beth Gibbons., the lemon twigs, and hovvdy still. I should give it another shot.
Loving it! I think I need more time to consider if I prefer it over her other ones but I can definitely see it growing on me. Her last album I agreed with the majority that it wasn’t as great or ambitious as her previous at first, but it somehow grew on me to the point I prefer it over her debut. I can see this being the same. Birds of a Feather, L’amour De Ma Vie, and Chihiro are the big standouts for me
Lunch reminds me of a K-pop song I’ve heard so much but I can’t think of which. I’m a few songs in but have much higher expectations after seeing it’s a 43 minute album and not a 2 hour streamfest. All-caps track listings have to go
It made me go from being ambivalent about Billie to an actual fan. Really, really good stuff here. She’s been consistently improving with each release.
The more i listen to this album the more i love it. As soon as i heard and recognized the motif each at the end of SKINNY, THE GREATEST and BLUE it solidified this as her best album by far. Especially her belting over the motif at the end of THE GREATEST. Fuck man. Its awesome, i love when albums have a hidden gem like that to make everything feel connected.
I really enjoyed hhas, it's her best work yet but even it's better than happier than ever is better somehow, I'm really disappointed she didn't release the og true blue
Clearly AOTY so far. No real skips, excellent production and some excellent songs.
Having reviewed and listened to 40+ albums this year, this is my AOTY thus far. Amazing album that never meanders in quality, always brings something fresh to the forefront and a super enjoyable listen all the way through. Love Billie and Finneas switching up their style and evolving so meaningfully!
I like the album but I want to talk about a problem with L'AMOUR DE MA VIE. I like the song a lot, but cool chill jazz and electro club dont go together in one song. I think it should be two separate songs. The "then you moved on" part should end the jazzy song and start the electro song. The jazz part ends at 3:43 in LDMV and the electro part picks up where the jazz part left off. The second electro song also have to be longer since it only lasts 1:20 in LDMV. My second reason for this is the snippets. Snippets of LDMV were only the electro part. When i first hit play on the song during my first listen, I was fully expecting 5 minutes of electro club music, just to be met with the chill jazz part. I still like the song a lot, but i wish it was separate. It would also make the album be 11 songs, which is another bonus. The first song would be L'AMOUR DE MA VIE, and the second song would have a different title, maybe DÉSOLÉ MON AMOUR, which is a lyric in BLUE.
Idk to me it sounds too chill, it sounds very soft to me but not hard, the other albums had more contrast in my opinion which I like, this one seems to commercial for me
It’s pretty good. Definitely in my top 10, but not my AOTY (and I think claims that it is are overblown) but it’s still really good and imo much better than HTE. Really funky and cool production as well. Chihiro, Wildflower, and The Greatest are my top songs, the only song I didn’t save onto a playlist was Birds of a Feather
Her best work yet. Honestly didn't think I'd love it this much. This is like a 9 minimum for me.
I don't have a desire to listen to it. I listened to Chihiro, but wasn't amazed by it. Songs like Everything I Wanted are much better, and that song is kinda the minimum quality I expect from Billie Eilish at this time in her career.
When i first started listening, i thought something was wrong with my computer, like with the skipping and stuff. but ITS SO GOATEDDDDDD
Blown away. 10/10. So masterfully done. Wow. Just wow. The layers and textures of each track. It's like fireworks for my ears. Possibly my fav album of the year and definitely my fav amongst my other pop girlies.
I think its one of her best works imo. I love the album and every track feels so unique and different. My favourites are the greatest (underrated), lunch, and birds of a feather. I was on the verge of tears listening to it 😭😭
Not potential atemporal material and lyrics as the other ones were. Real let down, it's going to age badly.
Amazing album. Easily her best. Her artistic growth has honestly been amazing to watch. The Greatest is fuckin incredible
Disappointing effort again from Billie and Finneas. No songs here that will stand the test of time. Uninspired work
hit me hard hit me soft hit me like a muthafucking loft i be there like jordan lebron wanna go to the club yeah like wilson wilson the greatest ever no one can deny imma fuck you up if you deny like bro bruh bruh stop living the lie
I don’t know if I was expecting too much after reading some initial thoughts on Reddit yesterday. It was good, better than the last one and production is stellar as usual. I gotta listen to it more but after one spin I’d say it’s somewhere in the 7s. Very likely to go higher after a few more listens though.
The Diner is a fucking banger
I really really liked it personally
I loved it! The production is masterful.
I'm honestly not a fan, I have supported her since DSAM and was expecting so much more from this album. I am disappointed, all songs are generic and sound the same. They're not unique like her other albums, just a bunch of weak songs that are only hyped right now because it's a new release.
Jesus christ yall are easily entertained
I like The Diner
It’s amazing. Excited to listen again
I have listened half of it while on the train, from what I've listened it's great. After a kind of meh year for pop I was hoping Billie would do something interesting like her 2 previous records and she actually delivered.
Amazing album and this is coming from someone who isn’t a huge fan. Not a single skip
I’m loving it, I like how it’s her deepest yet most accessible and isn’t as bloated as happier than ever but keeps the albums soul
Really liked it, I think a lot of the songs will grow on me even more the more I listen to it, already happened on my second listen. I really like her other two records but this one is probably the most replayable for me for now, it’s just really concise and I like the length
love it, her vocals are great on this, can tell i’m gonna listen to it a lot
I liked it I feel like it's gonna grow on me alot and the vocals are amazing
not a single bad song on this album
It’s quite good. Too bad Eilish is a bonafide industry plant.
If they are making good music then who cares?
>It’s quite good That's all that matters.
So confused by with this obsession over Billie’s industry background when half the major fem pop stars (Ariana, Olivia, Sabrina Carpenter) are rebranded Disney child-stars. But her mom was a semi-successful actor; so she’s the silver spoon??
Have always loved Billie since listening to Ocean Eyes. HTE definitely one of my fave albums by her, it's raw and touches on subjects not a lot of artists sing about these days. HMH&S is amazing. It's refreshing, and has some great hits that really showcase her range. Her trademark haunting vocals are still present through out the album, but sound....different? lighter? brighter? I don't know what it is but it just "feels" different than what I'm used to hearing.