With her 2020 debut, Sawayama, the British-Japanese singer’s career was predicted on this site to go up and up, and so it has proved with this dazzlingly strong new album of high-octane pop opowerfully voiced melodies and intelligent, candid lyrics. She’s employed producers Paul Epworth (Adele) and Stuart Price (Madonna), and there’s no mistaking the scale of the musical ambition into mainstream pop, and while there are are still some of the eclecticism from her debut, not to mention references to her difficult upbringing with a single Japanese mother in Britain, this is heading more into Lady Gaga, Shania Twain or Taylor Swift territory. Highlights include the slow but confidently building opener Minor Feelings looking back at the that childhood and “emotions that I tried to hide”, as does the title track which also very much has peak Madonna moments, the rock-pop banger This Hell which references the music industry , Britney Spears, the craziness of the spotlight (“this hell is better with you”), the out-and-out pop number Frankenstein, which is also a clever nod to growing fame, Hurricanes, Forgiveness, and Your Age, which appears to have a gentle koto intro before emotional rage is unleashed, and the rather lovely acoustic number Send My Love To John. With such a strong, mature voice, and keen intelligence, her star is only going rise further. Out on Dirty Hit.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new songs and albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: