Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY KARYN A. POKLETAR
One of the most scrutinized teenagers on the planet, Los Angeles born pop-singer Billie Eilish negotiates her emerging womanhood on her second album Happier Than Ever. This mezzosoprano moves on from her 2019 goth debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? with melodramatic flair, introspective cadence and bleach-blonde, pin-up-girl style.
The LP is a heavy listen (58 minutes / 16 songs) mostly quiet, intimate, brimming with sincerity, and ensconced in Dream-Pop atmosphere. With fewer magnetic singles as WWAFWDWG, the black/green haired grumpy teen no longer sports tarantulas coming out of her mouth. Instead, emotionally aquatic Billie in glistening halo of blonde has changed. Legions of fans are getting reintroduced. Billie is now an adorable, slightly tear-stained vamp.
Eilish sings of heartbreak, additional birthday candles, fame, temptation and evolution of self. Lyrics depict looney stalkers, sleezeball men, loneliness and hope. With an imaginary clime, dreamlike vibe, sonic complexity and some weird arrangements, Eilish’s lo-fi vocals and brother/Producer Finneaus flex their creativity with enough strength to do it their way.
The opener “Getting Older” starts with a melancholy tone as Eilish states gratitude for her success. Then, feelings plummet into horror and hurt regarding phenomenal levels of adulation attracted since she was fifteen. Vocals in the chorus are super lovely, delicate, of clear and fragile timber with Eilish’s always controlled pitch-perfect voice. The song structure is strange, but its her world, right? She gives us psychological insight into how we get too familiar with things, over time, no matter how wonderful at the outset. (“Things I’m longing for, someday, I’ll be bored of”). Emotional distance she feels about her career is expressed (“Things I once enjoyed//Just keeping me employed…”) as she reflects on the dubious nature of fame.
“I Didn’t Change My Number,” a positive song, asserts confidence, growth and personal agency. (“I didn’t change my number//I only changed what I believe in”). Escalating progression of mono-synth is annoying even though I’m rooting for her confidence and swag after sexual coercion depicted on the opening track.
The third track, “Billie Bossa Nova” is about a steamy, secret relationship. With an alluring rhythm in a surprise genre, Eilish croons (“It might be more of an obsession//You really make a strong impression//Nobody saw me in the lobby//Nobody saw me in you arms”), true to newly minted, retro flavor in a style popular on the beaches of Rio in the 1960’s.
“My Future” is very much about being alone, but in a good way. Vocals are tentative and sophisticated finding purchase in a luxurious dreamscape. It’s beautifully sung with gorgeous runs and a jazzy style. She’s gained perspective refusing to be hooked into a situation that is not for her highest good. She wins this round. Tempted yes, but in this song she can motor by his house without pulling in the driveway. (“But I know better//Than to drive you home//’Cause you’d invite me in//And I’d be yours again.”)
And then? Eilish gets freaky! Guaranteed club hit and rave-fave, “Oxytocin” (Not OxyContin) is ribbed for your aural pleasure at 125 BPM. An equally addictive pain reliever of sorts, “Oxytocin” regulates emotions, fosters trust and empathy. As “the Love Hormone,” Oxytocin is released during sex, hugging or kissing. A pounding, head rush of a song, it will be insane played live. I swear Trent Reznor astral projected into the studio while this track was layed down. (“I wanna do bad things to you//I wanna make you yell”) and (“As long as you’re still breathin’//Don’t you ever think of leaving.”)
Eilish’s heaping helping of fame is addressed in “Goldwing.” A bit passive aggressive, it starts off with a growling dog. At first I thought it was dying pig, but Eilish is vegan, so I went with beloved, canine instead. After Puppy has his say you’re transported to an excerpt from a Tibetan Hymn. Albeit a glowing hymn, and loss of innocence anthem, it has sexy base hits and a shaky beat. Vocals, highly controlled sung in three-part harmony as producer Finneaus mixes in a kicking drum sample. This is Good stuff.
“Lost Cause” acknowledges the pain of being in a relationship with a selfish guy. It’s a kiss-off song. Eilish wishes she didn’t care about this loser. Not in a headspace to drop a lot of fun songs, she continues with “Your Power” as a cautionary tale, folk-music toned, citing abuse of power and subsequent trauma of victims ensnared in MeToo abusive relationships. “NDA” offers retro hued lyrics showing this teen is astute and requires a pretty boy sign-off as he exits her premises.
“Therefore I Am” is classic Eilish. Another kiss-off with prowling beat and stinging lyrics, (“Get my pretty name out of your mouth.”) Then she stabs him with “I really couldn’t care less.”
The title track “Happier Than Ever” starts with moody fluidity before firing shots at her Ex. Multi-tracked vocals with gritty distortion, an epic screaming finale “Just fucking leave me alone” concludes the song.
There are a few more tracks including a spoken word piece “Not My Responsibility” and “Everybody Dies'” The album ends with “Male Fantasy,” an achingly sad walk thru her recovery process of a break-up. It’s acoustic with brother Finneaus strumming guitar, gorgeously sung with breathy decoration.
Happier Than Ever. Billie Eilish, growing up, will always be honest with us because she can’t help it; that is her personality. Retro-tinged, artist-in-progress, experimenting, she is a gangster refined. Smash or crash? Smash!
