The Critics Corner | Albums

Believe Breakout New Zealand singer-songwriter crafts awesome, in-your-face debut album
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Album name: Pure Heroine
Label: Republic
Release Date: September 30, 2013
Rating: -- 4.8 out of 5

Review written by: Lauren Engberg
2013 is going to be a significant year in music. It's the year of the break-out debut singles making their marks on the charts with a bang. Word of mouth from person to person is what is quickly catapulting these break out artists to the top of the charts. For Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor or better known as Lorde, this is exactly the case. 

For 16 year old, Lorde, she showed her star power early on at the age of 12 when she was first discovered. This star power continued with her hit single "Royals", which became a global smash with radio and downloads. "Royals" isn't the typical pop song you'd normally hear on the radio. Due to this difference, people took notice and loved it. "But every song is like/ gold teeth, Grey Goose/ trippin' in the bathroom" showed Lorde's sass in the way she doesn't care to live a life like that. Royals doesn't need the typical poppy backtrack to lure fans into loving it. In fact, that's what I love so much about the song is the almost emptiness that forces you to listen to the lyrics instead of being distracted by the overbearing beats. 

Realizing this fame game was off to a quick start, she almost immediately put out Pure Heroine to give fans yet another taste of what she thinks about this teenage life she is living. The entire thing showcases the subject of growing up as a teenager and all the obstacles that come with it. It's even more impressive she wrote the entire LP herself, which gives the honest lyrics a real sincerity to them. "It feels so scary getting old" she confesses in "Ribs" which showcases these concerns of growing up. "Ribs" continues with the haunting beats which showcases the vocals just like "Royals". I absolutely love how the chorus picks up into a chaotic turn compared to the beginning of the song. 

Continuing on with "Tennis Courts", this song tells the story of living life with fame and still dealing with life before it. The ticking provides an almost hypnotizing aspect for it and brings you into the song even more. "Buzzcut Season" has a mysterious vibe at the beginning with a xylophone flare that is so sweetly sounding it's almost like a lullaby. 

"Team" is another favorite off this record. It's a great song that's dedicated to the friends around her. "We live in cities you'll never see on screen/ not very pretty but we sure know how to run things". The beat is infectious and the booming within the chorus is one you will not forget. A great anthem song for sure. 

Pure Heroine is a fantastic record mainly due to it's not so cookie cutter pop album aspect of it. It's different, but different enough to capture the attention of top 40 listeners. The honesty and sass within the lyrics, the growl in her voice, and the beats create a record that you'll find yourself listening to over and over again. If you're a fan of a Lana Del Rey, Feist, and Florence Welch mixture, you'll love Lorde. I can guarantee it. With songs like "Royals" and "Tennis Courts", it wouldn't come much of a shock to see nominations for top awards in the near future. 
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