Olivia Dean - "The Art of Loving" (2025)

If there has been one breakout popstar of 2025, it has to be Olivia Dean. She has been absolutely everywhere this year. She's had a steady rise over the past few years, cropping up on features and I remember Dive from her debut record being a pretty moderate hit and hearing it on the radio pretty frequently. But something has been in the air with the roll-out of this album. Lead single Nice To Each Other quite quickly went viral on Tiktok and its not hard to see why. The very detailed, intimate lyrics about love without labels and summery, washed out synths, reverb-y pulsating drum beat and gentle strumming is tailor made for 'wholesome' montages of people's summer escapades. The song is pretty damn catchy to boot. Following on from that, she went Tiktok viral again for her duet performance with Sam Fender on his track Rein Me In (which was then released as a single that also charted in the top 10). I think it was at this point that we all knew that this album was going to be big.

The second single, Lady Lady, has been more of a grower for me. The gentler neo-soul instrumentation and a less earwormy hook made it have less of an immediate impact on me, but over time the themes of constantly being in a state transition and 'trusting the process' have really sunk their teeth into me. It is one of the most mature songs on the record and is the only one that isn't overtly relationship centred, which makes it a notable exception as you get deeper into the record. Man I Need was released as the third single, and while it lacks a little of the depth of the first two singles, it makes up for it by being so damn fun and catchy. The bouncing piano riff and Olivia's warm, impassioned delivery have made it her biggest hit yet, even crossing over into the US charts.

Unfortunately, this momentum hasn't really carried into the rest of the tracks here, as they feel very safe and by-the-numbers both lyrically and musically. So Easy (To Fall In Love) has been released as the fourth single alongside the album's release and musically it is a pretty bog standard bossa nova tune; and lyrically, while it is cute, it is so underdeveloped and cliché. The second verse opens with "The way I do my hair, the way I make you laugh / The way we like to share a walk in central park" and really epitomises this. Where Nice To Each Other was relatable through its detailed lyrics, So Easy just goes for broad generalisations to achieve the same relatability. It is catchy, I'll give it that, but it doesn't have the legs that the other singles have.

Much of the rest of the album follows suit, being songs that sit very comfortably within the textbook definitions of their various styles, and all having very generalised, borderline-cliché lyrics and themes revolving around love and non-committal relationships and heartbreak. Close Up has that smoky, throwback jazz-soul fusion vibe akin to Amy Winehouse, but lacks any of the rawness or danger Winehouse is known for. Let Alone The One You Love is a pretty bog standard slow-jam waltz and Loud is the big, bombastic, Bond theme-esque power-ballad. Olivia's personality on the singles just doesn't translate to these tracks.

Things do pick up again towards the back end of the record, with some of the more detailed lyrics returning on the track Baby Steps. It's not mind blowing, but I like the ideas around taking 'baby steps' when moving on from a heartbreak and the little moments of yearning that occur when you'd least expect it. "No-one to text when the plane lands" as Olivia puts it. She also pulls off the vintage 60's R&B of A Couple Minutes, even if it isn't a new spin on the style. The record closes out with the acoustic ballad I've Seen It about not giving up on love and seeing it everywhere: with your parents, friends, and strangers out in public. It's a nice full circle moment back to the carefree love of Nice To Each Other in an album that does get caught-up in the Heartbreak in places. 

There is some real highlights on The Art of Loving, but they are surrounded by what are some pretty standard pop soul tunes that don't really move the needle either way for me. Olivia's warm, heartfelt vocals are consistently great throughout, so it's pretty easy to throw on in the background; but I am am bit disappointed considering how great the singles were. I think Olivia has it in her to carry on from this and make a deeper, more consistent record for the third to around.

Top Tracks: Nice To Each Other, Lady Lady, Man I Need, I've Seen It

6/10

Hayley Williams - "Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party" (2025)

Hayley Williams has hit us with her 3rd solo studio record and its quite an interesting one to talk about through the context of its method of release and where it sits in Hayley's artistic journey both within and outside of Paramore. For anyone not in the know, Paramore is band famous for their instability and volatility since it's inception. Originally formed when the group were still teenagers in high school, they have experienced constant line-up changes, tensions within the band over differing politics and worldviews, contracts and writing credits, and even romantic break ups. However, following on from their 2023 record, This Is Why, it seemed like the band (and Hayley herself) had finally settled into a good and stable place. The band had released two records under the same line-up for the first time ever, their acclaim was growing in the more snobby musical circles that dismissed their earlier work, and had finally run down their exploitative 360 record deal with Atlantic. Also, after going through a messy divorce, Hayley was now dating the band's guitarist Taylor York after being friends for 20+ years. I was definitely expecting another Paramore album before HW3, but on the first listen it becomes quite apparent why.

But before we get into the meat of the record, I want to talk about the rollout of it, as was pretty unconventional. Free from the shackles of the record deal with Atlantic, these songs first appeared on Hayley's website behind an unlock code (originally found on bottles of Hayley's hair dye, but it instantly became easy to find online) as an unstructured, interactive list of individual tracks. After a few days, the webpage was taken down and a couple of days after that they were released to streaming as individual singles. It was then about a month before they were compiled into an actual album with a tracklist that was inspired by fan submissions - with one additional closing song that we hadn't heard prior. This definitely gives these songs a distinct feel, like they're all within the same world but aren't meant to be taken as a discrete narrative with a clear start and end. My experience of the opener, Ice In My OJ, exemplifies this. On my first listen to the songs on the website, Ice In My OJ cropped up around the middle of my selection, so I had never really considered it as an opener. But when placed in that context, it does indeed work. The 'smack you around the face' hard intro and staple alt rock loud-soft dynamics during the chorus / verse structure. The record also sonically jumps around from alt rock to new wave, to pop, to singer / songwriter and more - making it feel more like a scattershot of ideas and feelings, rather than a curated story.

This is all in aid of the main themes of the record, as it is quite obviously a break up album. But as a woman in her 30s who is quite open about her struggles with trauma and her mental health, and her journey through the process of healing; Hayley is not interested in dragging Taylor through the dirt (although there are a few cutting lines sprinkled throughout), or presenting a version of events to convince us as the listeners to be on her side of the breakup. She has even gone as far as to say in interviews that Paramore are not breaking up and Taylor is still in the band (as impossible as that might seem). The attitude and atmosphere of Ego Death is a distinctly jaded malaise, as Hayley has found that despite all the work she has put in to improve herself and her life, it has all come apart once again. The pain is there and very visible, but without the raw and egocentric melodrama that comes with youth.

Ice In My OJ is quite an oblique song to start the record, and is followed by the much more direct and accessible Glum. It is a moody pop rock cut about feeling low and alone with a big anthemic chorus, and was the last song I listened to on that first 'pre-tracklist' listen, so in my head was the closer - but it also works in that typical 'lead single that is second in the tracklist' slot. I am generally gravitating to the more rock leaning cuts here, as I think that they are more Hayley's bag, although there is a level of quality across the songs that makes this Hayley's most consistent solo release. Kill Me is another catchy pop rock cut about her struggles of generational trauma and the sense of martyrdom that comes with being the eldest daughter - always having to pick up the pieces for everyone else. Mirtazapine is a noisy 90's-esque alt rock love song dedicated to the anti-depressant that allows her to function on a day to day basis. It is unique framing to talk about depression and medication, allowing to Hayley to delve a bit deeper into the more mundane impacts depression has on her life. Hard is another heavier cut where Hayley delves into growing up in such a masculine, emotionally aggressive environment and how she had to act in the same ways in order to survive, not being able to express the gentler more typically feminine sides of her personality.

The title track and True Believer swing a bit more broadly, tackling the ills Hayley sees in her hometown of Nashville and Southern USA as a whole. Ego Death tales the tale of Hayley being out on the town during the titular event and the commercialisation, loss of identity and increasing inequality has turned the place into something she no longer recognises. There is a not so subtle dig at "a racist country singer" that has seemingly gotten away with their actions due to their popularity and success. True Believer further expands on the legacy of slavery and racism within The South and the impacts it has today on the region. Hayley really doesn't hold back calling out the racism that still to this day persists, particularly within the white, gun owning, right wing, fundamental Christian communities.

Disappearing Man is another catchy pop rock song that quite earnestly tackles how Hayley was giving her all to Taylor and his own walls and ultimately pulling away himself was the ultimately the undoing of the relationship. Similarly, Brotherly Hate implies the impact this has had on the relationship between Taylor and Paramore's drummer Zac Farro. Much Like Ice In My OJ, the lyrics are a little more obtuse, leading you to read between the lines a little bit. Negative Self Talk is a moody, Radiohead-esque ballad about exactly what the title suggests, the spiralling negative thoughts that lead you tapped in your head.

Discovery Channel is a bit of an odd one, as it interpolates the chorus of Bloodhound Gang's "The Bad Touch", which for anyone who's heard that song will know - it's not a serious one. Hayley mostly-successfully flips it into something that fits into quite a serious and downtrodden song, but I cannot think of it without thinking of the original. The new wave-y, plinky plonky synths and general sonic vibe of the song is weirdly upbeat compared to the rest of the record, which does make it stick out a bit. The back end of the album also calms down a bit, where the tracks feel more distant and hazy with less punctuating intense moments to jolt you out of the depressive malaise.

The last track I'd like to mention is the closer, Parachute. It was the only one not previously released as a single, and it really ties together the themes of the record. Before the album was released, it wasn't exactly clear from the rest of the songs what the state of Hayley and Taylor's relationship was. Clearly something had happened, but whether it was just a rough patch or a full break up was not clear. Some fans online were even claiming that the songs were actually about Hayley's previous divorce from years ago at this point. Parachute bares all with a sense of rawness and intensity that the rest of the album does not and provides a really cathartic and emotionally charged listen. The guitars roar and Hayley's vocals wail compared to her much more reserved and controlled approach throughout the rest of the album.

Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party is easily Hayley's best crop of solo songs and I think the release method has really aided the kind of loose, hazy narrative it is going for, because if you take it as a record in a traditional sense, it is a bit long and unfocused. And such, while I do enjoy it while its on, with some real highlights, I'm not sure I'd ever put it on in full over the last two Paramore albums, which were very tight and focused and 'complete'. There is still a lot of enjoyment to get from it though.

Top Tracks: Ice In My OJ, Glum, Kill Me, Mirtazapine, Disappearing Man, Brotherly Hate, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, Hard, True Believer, Parachute

7/10

Clairo - "Charm" (2024)

One of the pop girls I was getting into last summer that I didn't end up getting round to talking about was Clairo, and specifically her newly released third album, Charm. It's a very easy on the ears and summery album, so when the autumn nights drew in and the weather got worse, it fell out of my rotation and I didn't feel the impetus to write about it. However, I've found it returning back into my rotation again this summer and I think it's worth highlighting because I think its a pretty great album that has only grown on me in the 15 months since it's release.

Prior to this album cycle I was only aware of Clairo as one of the early breakouts from the mid-2010's bedroom pop scene and a mild nepo-baby allegations internet 'controversy', but I had never actually listened to any of her music before. So my first experience of Clairo in earnest was hearing the lead single for this record, Sexy to Someone, on the radio while I was driving. And damn it's a great first impression. The elegant 70s baroque pop instrumentation, subtle groove and Clairo's hazy, whimsical voice all combine to create this dreamy and relaxed atmosphere that feels so out of time against the chaotic barrage of information of the modern world. Lyrically, it is also really thoughtful and unique. As the title suggests, it is about wanting to be considered sexy by someone. But it is not a lustful song, or even a sexy song in any real sense. It's about pining for companionship and to be desired by someone, and for that person to come into your life and shake up the routine you've become complacent in. One of my favourite lyrics in the song is "Oh, I need a reason to get out of the house", which Clairo sings in such an unglamourous, straight-up way.

The rest of Charm further explores these themes of pining for love and connection, but feeling so far away from it - in your own lane and routine, well away from anyone that might come in and shake all of that up. This is all paired up against really gentle and low-key, throwback sophisti-pop, baroque pop and soft rock instrumentals that sound straight out of the 70's and 80's, further aiding that 'out of time' vibe throughout the whole record. On the opener, Nomad, Clairo compares her love life to that of a nomad, and how she struggles to connect with the people she is with and how she has the itching urge to always move on to the next thing, never letting herself settle down with someone. Thank You has similar themes, where Clairo basically admits that she knew a certain relationship had an expiry date from the moment she first met this person. The brazen admition of kind of using this person is really quite stark and not something you see a lot in pop music. Second Nature and Slow Dance are gentle piano led tunes where Clairo in turn expresses her confidence in a relationship and then her insecurities about one that is clearly fading out and in its twilight hours. The tracks are placed back to back in the tracklist and provide a sense of duality, where as much Clairo wants to believe that it will work out, she ultimately knows it wont. 

Terrapin is a jazzy tune that explores the simple things in life, and I really love the pianos and keyboards skittering about in the mix - it sounds really cool. This leads into Juna, which goes one step further and builds something more monumental. The song is certainly the centrepiece of the album with its ascending synth and horn lines and the strident hook of "You know me-ee-ee" that rises up with the instrumentation. Add Up My Love returns to the slightly meatier grooves of Sexy to Something, with some lush woodwind and strings to back it up. The song once again takes the idea of a break up and pining for someone, and spins it with the interesting idea of Clairo wanting to take all the time she is spending thinking about this person and condensing it into one chunk of 'sad time' that she can get through and then be done with. 

Echo feels very late 60's / early 70's to my ears. The hazy vocals, woozey psychedelic guitars and fuzzy moog synths really give off a Nico / Carpenters / Early Pink Floyd kind of mash up; whereas Glory of the Snow gives off a later, pop-era Fleetwod Mac atmosphere with the reverby piano and jovial melody. Pier 4 closes out the record as a simple acoustic ballad that wraps up the record's themes really well, referencing back to the ideas of not feeling romantically seen and kicking it out in your own lane that Nomad brought up at the start of the record.

Charm is a great album, it captures the vibe and atmosphere it is going for perfectly, and has a lot of really interesting things to say about its lyrical themes and ideas. While I did enjoy it last summer when it was first released, it has really taken its time to sink in with me and I like it even more now. I kind of got addicted to Bags from her second album when it went semi-viral on tiktok earlier this year, so I'm exited to check out the rest of her discography to see if it stacks up to this record.

Top Tracks: Nomad, Sexy to Someone, Thank You, Terrapin, Juna, Add Up My Love, Echo, Pier 4

8/10