Empress Of
Us
Terrible
Oct 19, 2018 Web Exclusive
There is a common misconception that pop songs are merely a matter of process and technique. The argument is if you find the right songwriters (e.g. a Max Martin or Cathy Denis) and give them the right budget, you are guaranteed a great record. The truth is never as simple as that.
Critics will spend hours debating the transcendent power of the work of Nick Cave or Joni Mitchell, arguably with good reason. But, they will spend less time considering why the embarrassingly-horny pop-funk of “Uptown Funk” is a joy, while the embarrassingly-horny pop-funk of “Moves Like Jagger” is a bore. Pop songs either work or they don’t, and what makes them work is enigmatic. Anyone can score a hit, but truly great pop songs are hard to explain. That problem is why I struggle to articulate exactly what’s stopping me from loving Empress Of.
Lorely Rodriguez follows her promising debut Me with Us and turns her lyrical focus towards the complexity of romantic relationships on her second record. It is not a concept album, although it does have a loose infatuation-to-break-up narrative which recalls Lorde’s Melodrama and Kelela’s Take Me Apart. The lyrical focus lends itself to a more consistent record but paired with its smooth mix of alternative R&B and pop, Us feels less daring than its predecessor and much less interesting. At some points, Rodriguez leaves the alternative label behind completely—“Love for Me” has more than a hint of The Chainsmokers’ college dorm EDM.
Yet, while Empress Of fails to thrill, Us is undeniably well-crafted. Its lyrics are sharp and often funny—“something about your body makes me feel so safe/I want you on top of me like a paperweight” could be a classic Björk-ism with its melding of intimacy and mundanity. Its production is stylish and sleek. And its songwriting is enjoyable in the moment, if forgettable afterwards.
However, the problem is there’s nothing as viscerally exciting as “Water Water” or “Kitty Kat” here, or as strangely satisfying as “Standard” from Me. To my ears, there are two great tracks on Us (“Just the Same” and “I’ve Got Love”) and one outstanding song; a near-perfect heartbreaker (“When I’m With Him”) that’s so good it might convince you to give the others another shot. The rest are all well-crafted but while Rodriguez has become a more competent songwriter, her writing is less novel and feels less significant.
Us is smart and thoughtful and sometimes very fun. It all sounds like great pop music on paper, but pop just isn’t played on paper. Where Me felt wild and joyfully amateurish, Us feels professional and conservative. Rodriguez has made a record with few major flaws, except one: it lacks surprises. Funnily enough, it was spark and originality alone that carried her debut album, despite technical shortcomings.
She may marry her newfound competence with her earlier creativity in the future. Until then, there’s enough good work on Us to suggest Empress Of’s best work is still ahead of her. (www.empressof.com)
Author rating: 6.5/10
Average reader rating: 7/10
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