Amy Shark - Soft Pop
Short, sharp, and consistent – soft pop is easily Amy Shark’s best album.
With a career spanning more than a decade, Australian singer Amy Shark is no stranger to success, both at home and abroad. Her previous hits, including “I Said Hi” and “Everybody Rise”, range from contemporary electropop to high-energy pop rock, and they all share one thing in common: momentous builds and dramatic choruses. soft pop trades that for a more relaxed, reflective, and cohesive collection of stripped-back singer-songwriter cuts. The result is a calm yet uneasy listen, making soft pop Shark’s most defined, authentic body of work.
Opening with the lead single, “The Biggest Dick”, the album immediately establishes an upbeat tempo paired with a quirky writing style reminiscent of Audrey Hobert. Its chorus carries a nursery-rhyme-like melody, with the lyrics “Five, six, pick up sticks / Fell in love with the biggest dick” designed to become an earworm over time. “It’s Kinda Hot” follows with a subtle shift in pace, intertwining more explicit imagery beneath its playful lyricism. Shark explores her infatuation with another person, finding herself completely obsessed with their every move while savouring their name in every conversation, ultimately deeming it ‘kinda hot’.
“Our Last Fight” carries a similarly intimate sonic and lyrical palette, arguing that despite her flaws, imperfections, and competition, she is still the one for him. A cheeky shoutout to Gracie Abrams and Taylor Swift brightens the chorus, while the thoughtful reference sets up “Child of Divorce”, whose indietronica influences and understated instrumental maintain steady momentum throughout. Its relatable lyricism and subtle production would have made the track an immediate standout on Gracie Abrams’s latest record, Daughter from Hell.
The album’s few weaknesses stem from a trio of songs that don’t necessarily drag the album’s quality down, but lack the distinctiveness to truly stand on their own. “Ruins” deepens the mood established by the opening six tracks, but its slightly awkward background vocals and cliché phrasing (“Fucking Cupid, I’m not stupid”) sit uncomfortably between two stronger songs. Towards the end of the tracklist come “I Know a Place Just Up the Street” and “Not Old Enough to Drive”, two tracks that are perfectly enjoyable – as catchy as the rest – but lack the memorability that defines most of soft pop’s B-sides.
Perhaps the album’s biggest departure, however, is what it leaves out. Despite each of her previous efforts featuring at least one collaborator – including working individually with each member of blink-182 – soft pop marks Shark’s first album without a single featured artist. The decision proves worthwhile, allowing her songwriting and personality to remain the album’s centrepiece.
Those are only small inconsistencies, as the remainder of soft pop reminds her audience that her music doesn’t need to be overdone to prove effective. “Movies” bounces back to the pacing of the opener, where Shark describes an intimate scene that only lasts for a short moment, before the male protagonist finds someone new, specifically detailing the attached anxiety. Meanwhile, “Like a Doll” and “Hotel Towels” both detail instant attraction, a crush moving towards love at first sight. Closing the record is “Singapore Noodles”, a track that details personal moments between two partners, only to be overshadowed by the comfort of being in each other’s company.
Ultimately, soft pop lives up to its title. By stripping away the expected arena-sized choruses, larger-than-life production – and even guest appearances – Shark’s songwriting is at its strongest. It’s a quieter record than its predecessors, but one that leaves a far greater impression. Amy’s artistic strengths clearly lie in acoustic-leaning songs, so let’s hope she continues evolving in this direction – that is, if she doesn’t fall in love with the biggest dick again.
7.9/10
