Suki Waterhouse - Loveland
Suki Waterhouse kicks things up a notch.
While the English singer-songwriter and actress has previously stuck almost entirely to a softer, mellow indie sound, drawing comparisons to artists like Lana Del Rey, her third studio album, Loveland, expands her sound somewhat.
The album kicks off on a jubilant, vibrant note with “Back In Love”, a very strong opener that exemplifies all the best traits of the album – the groove-heavy bass lines, present percussion and higher energy instrumentals than Waterhouse has typically used in her previous music. The rest of the record doesn’t quite live up to the standard the opener sets, and it remains probably the best song on the tracklist, but these key positives stay present throughout nonetheless.
Chief among the positives of the album, however, is its overall soundscape. The production is beautiful, with rich, colorful textures and a really pleasant, captivating atmosphere. The instrumentation throughout is lush and hazy, creating a crackling, slightly mystical atmosphere that adds charm and makes the album a more unique listening experience.
Waterhouse’s vocal performances are, for the most part, pretty standard for her, with the deliveries being mostly quite subtle — though there are also some moments where she puts a little more emphasis and strength into her voice. The combination of her airy, slightly ghostly voice and the groovier, more upbeat instrumentals of the album, such as the aforementioned “Love Again”, “Jukebox”, “Happy With It” or “Tiny Raisin” is somewhat unexpected, but the unorthodox blend works in her favor, adding some much-needed energy to the record and creating a lot of its main highlights.
Lyrically, the album narrates plenty of emotional and romantic turmoil, weaving through the ups and downs of love and all the complex feelings that accompany it. The writing is quite straightforward and raw, which, though it does cross the line into slightly cringeworthy in a couple of instances, is mostly very compelling.
Overall, Loveland is an excellent entry into Suki Waterhouse’s catalog. It’s not a revolutionary album by any means, but it’s singularly atmospheric and wonderfully produced, with compelling vocals and highly replayable highlights. In a year with plenty of solid indie rock records, this album is another one to add to that list.
7.0/10
