I donāt think Iāve mentioned my new obsession with Snail Mail.
I initially got into them in April, when I saw an article about them on Pitchfork. After listening toĀ Habit on iTunes, I decided to buy it (along with āPristineā). And I LOVED it. Snail Mail has now earned their place in my top three favorite bands: in no particular order, David Bowie, Car Seat Headrest, and SNAIL MAIL.
Slowly, more songs were pre-released forĀ Lush, and I got more and more excited. Two days ago, it finally came out.
Iām going to do what Iāve done for my other two album reviews (MasseductionĀ andĀ TwinĀ Fantasy): my thoughts for each track, then my overall thoughts afterwards. Enjoy the review!
TRACK 1:Ā āIntroā: 8.5/10
The first track of the album feels like a dream; a strange fantasy mixed with nighttime worries that keep you staring at your ceiling. It also provides a little foreshadowing for the last song. āIntroā is something of a smooth transition from the fuzzy, angsty musings ofĀ Habit to the raw lyrics ofĀ Lush.Ā Itās only a little over one minute long, but I love it!
TRACK 2:Ā āPristineā: 9/10
āIt just feels like the same party every weekend, doesnāt it?ā
This was the first song that was pre-released off of the album, and the one that got me initially excited forĀ Lush. Itās a song full of musings, longing, and unanswered questions. āDonāt you like me for me?ā On some level, I feel like āPristineā could speak to all of us. We make friends, we feel loved, but deep down, thereās that possibility that haunts us: are we really loved? So thank you, Lindsey. This is beautiful.
TRACK 3:Ā āSpeaking Termsā: 7/10
This song wasnāt my favorite on the album, but it still has that raw, melancholy quality. It almost feels a little restrained as far as the music goes, but if it were a little harder or louder, I might have liked it more.
Dang, I donāt think I ever would have imagined myself saying that.
TRACK 4:Ā āHeat Waveā: 10/10
This. Is. The. Best. Video.
āHeat Waveā is, without a doubt, my favorite song on this album. Lindsey Jordanās voice brings me so much joy, the guitar is spectacular, and plus, itās the perfect song to blare out of the car with the windows down. (My mom and I did this once. It was REALLY fun.) Unlike āSpeaking Termsā, this song feels like Lindsey Jordan truly poured her heart and soul into everything, and I enjoyed it immensely.
TRACK 5:Ā āStickā: 9/10
āStickā was originally the final song off ofĀ Habit, a melancholy, heartfelt song. OnĀ Lush,Ā itās taken to the next level with the volume turned up all the way. We now have similar guitar toĀ āHeat Waveā and drums, making it more emotional and resonant. Needless to say, I lovedĀ Habit āStickā, butĀ LushĀ āStickā is truly memorable.
TRACK 6:Ā āLetās Find an Outā: 8/10
This was the last of the pre-releases forĀ Lush.Ā At first, I wasnāt really blown away, but it slowly grew on me. Like āIntroā, itās a very dreamlike song, filled with longing. For some reason, it always brings to mind very peaceful images; people lying down in a field, dandelion seeds blowing in the wind, meadows, etc. Yellow flowers, too.
Why not?
TRACK 7:Ā āGolden Dreamā: 7/10
I have similar feelings about āGolden Dreamā and āSpeaking Termsā (see track three). Though I like how catchy it is while still having depth and emotion, it still didnāt blow it out of the water for me. I liked the last minute or so a lot, though.
TRACK 8:Ā āFull Controlā: 8.5/10
If you listen to this album back to back, it would be a little tricky to distinguish this song from its predecessor, āGolden Dreamā. But once the chorus arrives, I assure you, the two are now two different songs. Itās like Lindsey Jordan took āGolden Dreamā, pumped in more emotion, awesome guitar, and resonant, beautiful vocals. āFull Controlā is a bit like the baby of āGolden Dreamā and āPristineā, and itās one of my favorites on the album.
TRACK 9:Ā āDeep Seaā: 8.5/10
At this point, the album begins its transition into a beautiful finale, bringing out the best, somber qualities from some of the material off ofĀ Habit.Ā This song radiates images of darkness, but not necessarily negative ones. Starry skies, a descent to the bottom of the ocean, and a mind on the brink of sleep come to mind for me. This is, without a doubt, some of Lindsey Jordanās best work.
TRACK 10:Ā āAnytimeā: 9.5/10
Out of the songs that werenāt pre-released, this has to be my favorite song on the album. If I include the pre-released songs, this is a close second to āHeat Waveā. This is what weāve all been waiting for, hinted at by āIntroā and mimicked by āDeep Seaā. Like āPristineā, itās a song of raising questions, longing. The absence of almost all other instruments give it a more emotional quality, as though it was recorded in the dark, in a moment of intense emotion and secrecy. Beautiful finish to a beautiful album. Encore.
āThey donāt love you, do they?ā
Alright, Iāve averaged out all of my ratings for each song, and itās a solid 8.5! Thatās pretty great, in my book.Ā Lush was, unfortunately one of those instances where they released some of the best songs first and left the others until last, but despite that, I loved this album overall. Itās so crazy how Lindsey Jordan just graduated HIGH SCHOOL, and releasedĀ LushĀ soon after. So, in conclusion, bravo, Lindsey! Thank you for a remarkable first full-length album. š
The Bookish Mutant 