Lorde - Solar Power (August 20, 2021) Album • Page 31

the plan and solar power are good. i’ll probably throw them on some playlists and enjoy them. i’m good with not hearing the rest of the album again anytime soon.

 

it’s too soon after one dud to say that lorde sucks. having a big hand in the worst album of an artist’s discography is becoming a pattern for jack though.

 

I don't care who does or doesn't like the work Jack does with these artists, or if someone wants an artist they like to work with someone different. You know opinions and all, and I know I'm super bias towards all things Jack anyway.

But acting confused about why artists want to work with him is absurd, because every single artist he works with on a regular basis explains every single album cycle exactly why they like working with Jack. And sure Aaron is immensely talented and did great work on folklore/evermore, but if you're honestly confused about why they would still gravitate towards Jack (at least right now), finding the answer is as simple as watching the long pond sessions.

 

my opinion on melodrama will probably get me permanently banned from this site so I’ll just keep it to myself

 

Sure, but Lorde has gone on record saying she was the driving force of the sonic direction of this record. He's not the primary architect of this album.

 

sure. that doesn’t mean he’s absolved from criticism on the album, especially for parts of the album that fall into the same traps that are repeated from his previous production work.

 

Catch me out here stumping for my Clairo 2 >>>>>>> Clairo 1 take

 

The #discourse around him is exhausting. Sure, he’s everywhere, but I think he’s super talented and (by the fact that everyone keeps using him) seems like an okay guy. He also played a part in both Lorde’s and Taylor’s best albums. His work with The Chicks ruled too

 

we all know what producers do. he was chosen by her for a reason. they both deserve blame for the album being bland as shit.

 

i mean maybe its because im way more interested in production than the average person, for obvious reasons, but its not like lorde and everyone who works with jack is the first time ive criticized a producer for the sound of an artists album lol its like the first credit i look for in a press release and it informs a lot of how i feel about a record.

 

I was about to come in and say that it's hard not to think about the new Clairo in the context of this project. Two Antonoff produced records where the artists really stripped down their sound. Unfortunately, I think with the Lorde record stripped down = simplicity, while the Clairo record has some really stunning and comparably "big" arrangements (that really come alive when listening on headphones). It's not a one-to-one comparison because they ~vibes are decidedly different (sundresses and sandy beaches vs flannel and log cabins lol) and maybe those more intricate details wouldn't have worked for the blissed out style of Solar Power but I just wish that there was a bit more to this record.

My reaction is basically what I expected: a solid, generally pleasant listen. Definitely my least favourite from her and I'll probably reach for it way less than those last two records, but it'll definitely be a go-to when I'm in the mood for something chill for a bit. Still think the lyrics are devastatingly bad most of the time and really wish I never had to hear "Let's fly somewhere Eastern, they'll have what I need" again, satire or not.

 

I'm not saying he's absolved from criticism. He's definitely number 2 on the list of people who should be getting blamed for this album being pretty bland and boring. I'm more annoyed at the idea that artists have to be "protected" from him and his style, when it's pretty clear those artists are the ones driving the car.

His work on Gaslighter is probably my favorite production work he's ever done. A super refreshing take on pop-country that pretty seamlessly brought that band into a new era.

 

Between this album and the new Ted Lasso episode, I've been pretty underwhelmed by old favorites today haha.

Time to go listen to Deafheaven.

 

I’d understand the Jack backlash more if every record he worked on sounded the same but it feels pretty clear at this point that that’s not the case outside of how much Reputation sounds like a Bleachers record in parts

 

it’s really tough for me to turn on a fellow jew like this. he really let me down. ella is the best part of the album. her melodies and writing is the only memorable part of an album that feels like a slog. the music could not be less interesting. last time i checked, she doesn’t play instruments on the record.

 

though the worst part of the album is the spoken word part at the end of secrets. haven’t cringed this hard in a minute.

 

A few weeks ago on Twitter, I saw an argument that Jack was to blame for the super mellow moment we're having in pop right now, and specifically for why a lot of pop records over the past year or so have been super light on drums/percussion elements. I just thought that was insane, because 1) the initial production style Jack became known for was SUPER percussive, and 2) there are still elements of that all over pretty recent Jack records like Gaslighter.

 

if you cant see a common sonic thread through jack's records i dont know what to tell you. he has the reputation/messeduction style stuff then he's got the norman fucking rockwell style stuff and a bunch in between. am i like, crazy to think its very obvious he has a 'sound' even if its not always executed in the same ways?

 

i'm with sophos

 

i dont think ive ever said out loud my thoughts on that record out of sheer fear

 

I re-listened to Strange Desire a couple weeks ago and was shocked by how comparatively HUGE it sounds. I think you're right that the percussive elements on Gaslighter are absolutely very present, but certainly in a more restrained way. But agreed that songs like Texas Man or How Do You Sleep At Night would be completely different without the percussion.

Unrelated to your point, it's not just Jack albums that are percussionally minimal, the new Billie album barely has anything on it, especially when compared to the intimate bombastic sounds of the debut.

 

people are always going to look for someone to blame. when he is involved on several of the main culprits people have been bummed out about and when he is one of the biggest names in pop production at the time discussed, of course his name is gonna pop up. there are going to be exceptions, sure, and it isn’t going to always be fair. it … doesn’t seem unfair regarding this album. like, at all. this is an extremely “jack” sounding album that falls into a lot of the same traps he has previously.

 

i love norman fucking roswell. this absolutely is a similar sounding record falling into the same patterns as that one. he just did a worse job. and i like lorde’s prior work more than lana’s.

 

i cannot understate how difficult it would be for me to dislike an album heavily influenced by screamadelica.

though it’s immediately clear after like five minutes that this was made by someone who wants all the superficial elements of screamadelica without understanding any of the substance

 

We are largely in a more minimalist moment in pop. He’s a player in that, definitely, but to be like “Jack stole the drums!” is a pretty reductive way to look at trends in music and the broader factors (including the pandemic) that help explain why artists like Taylor or Lorde are making more subdued music right now.