Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor has had a sizeable impact musically since emerging as a 16 year old pop sensation in 2013. Unlike many of her contemporaries her music is unique and not derivative, paving the way for the likes of Billie Eilsh. She manages to walk the tightrope between polished pop and raw vulnerability with exceptional judgement. To date there have been two albums, 2014’s ‘Pure Heroine’ and 2017’s under-appreciated ‘Melodrama’. ‘Melodrama’ is a not only a modern day classic but up there with some of the best breakup albums ever made. It is at least as good as ‘The First Days of Spring’ by Noah and the Whale, Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Tunnel of Love’ or Frank Sinatra’s ‘In the wee small hours’. Here are 5 essentials:
Royals - Far from being Lorde’s best song this is the one that set the ball rolling and brought her notoriety (even Bruce Springsteen has covered it). It introduced the world to an artist anointed by none other David Bowie as ‘the future of music’.
Tennis Court - The opening track on her debut first surfaced on her second EP. Synths make way for a groove that burbles with the authority of a far more established artist. In the song our heroine (see what I did there) takes a shot at some of the trappings and insecurities of her new found fame “We’re so happy, even when we’re smilin’ out of fear”.
The Louvre - With ‘Melodrama’ Lorde really hit her stride. Her debut was excellent but here she carried the concept, that of her breakup, with agonising earnestness. The lush melody and understated chorus on ‘The Louvre’ draw you in before building to a crescendo that is punctured by a transcendent if desolate outro. The lyric is direct with clever turns of phrase “blow all my friendships to sit in hell with you, but you’re the greatest, they’ll hang us in the Louvre”.
Supercut - A musical evolution of ‘Ribs’, this infectious stomper is a rose-tinted reflection on a relationship that is hard to let go. The production is inspired in conveying a deep sense of fragility in what is ultimately an anthemic pop song. Midway through all of the instrumentation is stripped away to reveal a raw and bruised vocal whilst the final 90 seconds fades out in stunning ambience.
Hard Feelings/ Loveless - This two part masterpiece is possibly the most devastating of all. The ethereal ‘Hard Feelings’ details in tragic but cathartic terms the raw aftermath of a breakup “I light all the candles, got flowers for all my rooms, I care for myself the way I used to care about you, we kiss and we keep busy, the waves come after midnight”. Despite it’s bubblegum pop hook, the mood turns sour with ‘Loveless’ - “bet you want to rip my heart out, bet you want to skip my calls now, well guess what I like that, coz Im going to mess your life up”.
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