Superstar Standouts: Billie Eilish's HIT ME HARD AND SOFT

    As usual, I'm late. But this time's it's different! ... Kinda. 

    I have a confession to make. I didn't really like Billie Eilish's music that much until last week. I listened to both of her previous albums in full when they came out. And I was like ehhh maybe I'm too old. "Bad Guy" is amazing. I didn't particularly care for anything off of Happier Than Ever. (I'm going to give it another chance though!) Nevertheless, when a star as big as Eilish releases an album, I tune in every single time. So the day HIT ME HARD AND SOFT dropped months ago I gave it a listen at work. Which was huge mistake as I've learned in retrospect. It's kinda loud at work most of the time, and there's so many nuances in Eilish's work. Even in her vocal work. So I should have listened to it at home with my good Beats headphones instead of with my earbuds. I can always admit even from the first album, WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? that her discography has always been expertly produced with a hunger you only get from young, starving artists with something to prove. Expertly produced in a way that's so artistically high yet palatable for anybody who likes good food. It's like eating at Chipotle over Taco Bell. Better ingredients. Better quality. Better food. 

    I can tell you exactly where I was when I heard "everything i wanted" for the first time. I was in a grocery store parking lot waiting for my dad to come out of the store. It was a beautiful sunny day with lots of white fluffy clouds, and that song came on the radio. I was starstruck. It's a beautiful song riddled with anxiety and cool production that when the narrator is underwater, they are literally underwater. I listened to that song so much at night. It's just one of those songs you listen to alone in your bedroom. 

    So how did we get here today? I saw "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" had risen considerably on the charts, and that other songs from this album had a lot of staying power. So I gave the album another chance, and I listened to "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" first. It's gorgeous. It's light as a feather. It's honest. It's vulnerable. It shows off every single one of Eilish's talents. 

    And so many songs on this album showcase this quiet vulnerability. It's definitely rare. Yet there's playfulness and cockiness/confidence(?) at times? Like on "LUNCH." I feel like "WILDFLOWER" perfectly encapsulates the overall vibe, themes, and what Eilish is going for with this album though. The album is aptly titled. It's both hard and soft at times. The lyrics of "THE GREATEST" are hard. Sonically, "SKINNY" is soft. It's a great balance. And at 10 tracks, it's tight and concise and just makes for an impeccable listen. 

    I've learned my lesson, but I've also noticed albums or songs that I may listen to for the first time, that initial impression may be like "ehhh. This is not for me." Second chances when I'm in a better mood or in a different place or craving something new tends to open my mind and lets me hear and experience what I need to. And I'm so grateful for those moments even though I'm kicking myself at the same time. I'm now a Billie Eilish fan.

    There's so many heavyweight and terrific albums this year. Next year's Grammys are going to be a bloodbath. 

Rank: A Rank

Recommendation: when you're feeling hard and soft. 

Standouts:

    The first 5 tracks of this album are such career highs. Holy crap.