Halsey - Manic
It would be far too easy to write off an artist like Halsey as just another mediocre voice with a good producer. A famous voice for no reason. But, I don't think that is how Halsey should be taken. I think she should be taken dead seriously, as seriously as she takes her lyrics and subtle vocal inflections through out her third full length album. The desperation in her voice is the desperation I assume most of her listeners have in their everyday lives. She is a far better writer than her basic song structures would suggest. And her voice is much more enveloping than her less than climactic discography would allow you to believe.
She comes from the part of New Jersey that claims New York sports. Had she been born 50 miles south, I think she'd be an underground Emo sensation touring Philly clubs and signing to Run For Cover or Saddle Creek. As it stands, she was fortunate enough to go pop and be able to afford to pay her rent. Her voice seems to keep getting better with every listen, as you read along with her deeply personal lyrics you can't help but want to be a better person. Her songs are about desperation, loneliness, promiscuity and love. She's a great writer, she weaves together her verses and choruses and it never feels forced. The opening track, named after herself, ties strange, change, disintegrate and mistake. It almost feels like she could have rapped if she wanted to. Clementine takes us through her world, at least how she'd wish it to be. It's innocent, and kind, and honest. She contradicts herself which makes it even more appealing, because of it's candid vibe. Anyone can relate to wanting to be alone and needing someone at the same time. Manic pushes forward with more pop gold and vocal adroitness. When the track list first dropped for this album, the only title in all caps was I HATE EVERYONE. Hearing the words of the chorus bring that same personal dilemma to mind; someone or no one or both. It's something sincere that pop music has been missing for a long time.
She long claimed Alanis Morissette as a large influence, so it's great to see a collaboration. Like when Max Bemis got to work with Chris Conley, only better. The interludes are a clever way to include other artists and still have her maintain her songwriting integrity on the rest of the album. 3am should be touted as one of the best songs on the album, simple, direct, and fun as hell. Has anyone singing along with Halsey at the top of their lungs in the car. Finally // beautiful stranger puts you in her living room falling in love right along with her, playfully fighting with her lover. Still learning displays the difficulty of becoming rich and famous, especially coming from a blue collar life. Family pressure, personal pressure, constant protection and a call back to the obvious theme of Manic; figuring yourself out. It winds you down from the album, brings you home and reminds you that everyone is just trying to figure it all out; pop star, construction worker, grocery store manager, or student. And that is exactly how she finishes this third LP, with another well constructed lyrical journey through her mind. The last song is probably my personal favorite track on the album; it's a view into her mind free of metaphor. More prose than proclamation. Brutal honesty. Almost like she's talking to herself by singing to the listener, you can picture it, her scrolling on her phone sitting on a couch or laying in bed just trying to grasp how different her life is from 10 years ago. Trying to navigate fame with no idea who can be trusted. All in all, it's a wonderful journey through the mind of Ashley "Halsey" Frangipane; definitely worth the stream or the $10 or the 48 minutes. Just remember she's taking life & music seriously, so should we.
She comes from the part of New Jersey that claims New York sports. Had she been born 50 miles south, I think she'd be an underground Emo sensation touring Philly clubs and signing to Run For Cover or Saddle Creek. As it stands, she was fortunate enough to go pop and be able to afford to pay her rent. Her voice seems to keep getting better with every listen, as you read along with her deeply personal lyrics you can't help but want to be a better person. Her songs are about desperation, loneliness, promiscuity and love. She's a great writer, she weaves together her verses and choruses and it never feels forced. The opening track, named after herself, ties strange, change, disintegrate and mistake. It almost feels like she could have rapped if she wanted to. Clementine takes us through her world, at least how she'd wish it to be. It's innocent, and kind, and honest. She contradicts herself which makes it even more appealing, because of it's candid vibe. Anyone can relate to wanting to be alone and needing someone at the same time. Manic pushes forward with more pop gold and vocal adroitness. When the track list first dropped for this album, the only title in all caps was I HATE EVERYONE. Hearing the words of the chorus bring that same personal dilemma to mind; someone or no one or both. It's something sincere that pop music has been missing for a long time.
She long claimed Alanis Morissette as a large influence, so it's great to see a collaboration. Like when Max Bemis got to work with Chris Conley, only better. The interludes are a clever way to include other artists and still have her maintain her songwriting integrity on the rest of the album. 3am should be touted as one of the best songs on the album, simple, direct, and fun as hell. Has anyone singing along with Halsey at the top of their lungs in the car. Finally // beautiful stranger puts you in her living room falling in love right along with her, playfully fighting with her lover. Still learning displays the difficulty of becoming rich and famous, especially coming from a blue collar life. Family pressure, personal pressure, constant protection and a call back to the obvious theme of Manic; figuring yourself out. It winds you down from the album, brings you home and reminds you that everyone is just trying to figure it all out; pop star, construction worker, grocery store manager, or student. And that is exactly how she finishes this third LP, with another well constructed lyrical journey through her mind. The last song is probably my personal favorite track on the album; it's a view into her mind free of metaphor. More prose than proclamation. Brutal honesty. Almost like she's talking to herself by singing to the listener, you can picture it, her scrolling on her phone sitting on a couch or laying in bed just trying to grasp how different her life is from 10 years ago. Trying to navigate fame with no idea who can be trusted. All in all, it's a wonderful journey through the mind of Ashley "Halsey" Frangipane; definitely worth the stream or the $10 or the 48 minutes. Just remember she's taking life & music seriously, so should we.
Comments
Post a Comment