Lorde – Solar Power (Album Review)

August 23, 2021

Lorde is here to help you slow down and take a breath.

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TOP 5

5. Oceanic Feeling

“Oceanic Feeling” is the song that really sums up what Lorde seems to be trying to say with “Solar Power.”

“Oceanic Feeling” is the concluding statement for her essay on the climate and what she’s been doing in the time that she’s been off social media. The song is spellbinding and a whopping six minutes long.

4. Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)

This is probably the closest we get to the same sounds as Lorde’s previous albums.

“Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)” is a gentle song about growing up. Lorde keeps it mellow but still touches on feelings that come with being 25 and feeling like the time has flown by.

3. The Man With The Axe

“The Man With The Axe” feels like tragedy and love wrapped up in a song, which makes it a classic Lorde love song.

One of the songs that elicits the strongest feelings on the album, “The Man With The Axe,” will have you thinking about the loves you stayed with even when you knew it was time to leave.

2. Dominoes

Honestly, this song sounds fun. The light and bubbly guitar track in the background distracts from the lyrics that call out the person who Lorde refers to as “Mr. Start Again.” You know, the person who constantly avoids taking accountability or responsibility by reinventing themselves?

The contrast between lyrics and music compliments the message so beautifully I had to put this song in the top five.

1. Fallen Fruit

Easily the most “Lorde sounding” song on the whole album, and not in the way of the music, but rather in Lorde’s vocals.

“Fallen Fruit” earns the number one song for me because the sound it boasts is what I want the whole album to sound like. The overall vibe of the album is being described as “hippy” by folks and this song leans into that feeling. It even has what sounds like a steel guitar.

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1 The Path (4/5)

2 Solar Power (4/5)

3 California (3/5)

4 Stoned at the Nail Salon (3/5)

5 Fallen Fruit (4/5)

6 Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All) (4/5)

7 The Man With The Axe (4/5)

8 Dominoes (4/5)

9 Big Star (3/5)

10 Leader of a New Regime (3/5)

11 Mood Ring (4/5)

12 Oceanic Feeling (4/5)

RGM Rating

(B-)

Every Lorde album has always taken me a while to absorb and fully enjoy, and this album probably won’t be any different. I can say for sure though that Solar Power is Lorde’s most simplistic album. She sounds mellow from beginning to end. There is none of the chaotic energy that pulls out emotions you didn’t even know you had. I think this shocks people who listen to it for the first time, especially people who have been listening to Lorde for a while now. But that lack of energy doesn’t make the album bad. I still enjoyed it. It just isn’t what I was expecting from Lorde. I don’t want her to stay trapped in one type of sound, but I do want to feel something with her music, and this whole album feels like we’re on the verge of getting that kind of emotion-pulling music that we love from Lorde, but we stop right before we get there almost every time.

I think I can understand either loving this album or being neutral on it. What I do know is that it is absolutely worth the listen to figure out.