Rogers underlies her vitality on ‘Surrender’
‘S urrender,’ by Maggie Rogers (Capitol Records)
It’s all there in the title. Do as Maggie Rogers asks. Give in to her.
The 12-track “Surrender” is the follow-up to “Heard It in a Past Life,” her 2019 debut album that announced a major talent. The new album only solidifies Rogers as one of the most interesting singersongwriters out there. It’s less tentative or dreamy than her debut, more brash, confident, compelling and occasionally profane.
From the bubblegum pop of “Want Want” to the soaring ballad “Begging For Rain,” the album consistently sparkles and, in a sign of Rogers’ increasing clout, includes contributions from Florence Welch, Jon Batiste and Mumford & Sons’ Ben Lovett. Rogers’ voice is unfettered, cascading — running wild like the animals in her single “Horses” — and soars deliriously sometimes to the point of almost cracking.
“Surrender” is a fraught album of love, with many songs seeming to concern the push-pull of reconnecting with a former crush and finally submitting to love. “All I’ve ever wanted is to make something last,” she sings in one song, adding an expletive as a modifier. That sentiment could easily apply to the album, too.
“Surrender” is co-produced by Rogers and Kid Harpoon — who has worked with such singer-songwriting stars as Harry Styles and Shawn Mendes and helped create her last album’s standout song “Light On.” There are many interesting loops and repeating sound effects, but it’s not always perfect, with many songs overproduced.
“Be Cool,” which namechecks Brittney Spears, has weird breaks and an irritating shard of electronica, and “I’ve Got a Friend” loads up dialogue and too much plump piano. Rogers’ songs don’t need any extra flourishes but often there is one garnish too many.
Standouts include “That’s Where I Am,” which has an anthemic timelessness yet is tethered to today’s sound, the driving and emotional “Overdrive” and “Shatter,” which has a sped-up Taylor Swift vibe. “Horses” is a seemingly simple song that turns out to be anything but due to what Rogers does to it with her voice.
On the last track, “Different Kind of World,” Rogers is restrained at first, almost drowsy, then flowers into a rocking crescendo. “I’m a different kind of girl,” she sings. Thank goodness.
“The Last Goodbye,” ODESZA (Ninja Tune) EDM fans, hold on to your glow sticks and rave goggles – ODESZA is back and more experimental than ever. The duo of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight released an immersive album recently after four quiet years of speculation that the electronic magic-makers had disbanded or were done for good.
Perhaps this album – “The Last Goodbye” – is ODESZA’s sneaky way of saying farewell, but there’s no sign of the pair stopping any time soon as they rev up for a US tour following the release of the album.
“The Last Goodbye” is packed with songs that, believe it or not, are hard to describe, but that’s kind of ODESZA’s thing.
Some tracks feel nostalgic and at home at the same time, starting with “This Version of You (feat. Julianna Barwick),” a sort of guided meditation that shares a glimpse of the artists’ past few years of reflection that they say inspired the creation of this album.
Then there’s others that put the “dance” in “Electronic Dance Music,” such as “Forgive Me (feat. Izzy Bizu),” with its club-y chorus.
And an honorable mention to the uplifting “Better Now (feat. MARO),” where the bubbly melody and lyrics, “So what if I fall?/Better that I try instead of nothing at all,” will make you feel like a kid.
The album features a variety of vocal talents, ranging from Charlie Houston to The Knocks to Låpsley, whose voices echo over hypnotizing electronic loops. Bettye LaVette is featured on the album’s namesake, “The Last Goodbye,” resulting in a soulful connection of the past and present.
The range in the tracks, albeit a tad disconnected at times, makes for an indescribable, immersive listening experience that will surely not disappoint in the arena.
“Formentera” Metric (Metric Music International) Even Canadian rock stars are looking introspectively – and existentially – at their role and the meaning of it all in today’s seemingly crumbling world.
But hey, a pretty rockin’ album came out of it. Metric’s “Formentera” throws listeners into the deep end with “Doomscroller,” which starts off feeling like a warehouse rave or fever dream or maybe both. What sounds like a siren blaring in the background accompanies lyrics that capture the spiraling, sinking feeling of getting sucked into a bad news scrolling frenzy. The techno synth rises and falls like a doom(sc)roller coaster, only to dissipate where you expect the beat drop to be.
There’s a shift a little over halfway through the 10-minute song, and the dark, pulsing beats are replaced with hopeful, poignant piano chords. By the end of the song, you’ve forgotten all about the fever rave that was the beginning of the song – you’re just swaying as frontwoman Emily Haines “oooh”s.
The accompanying music video features blue-hued shots of the band members juxtaposed with overlapping, peaceful outdoor scenes. The blue lighting is also used in the video for “All Comes Crashing,” where a long-lashed Haines sings a love letter, but to whom?
In the album’s namesake “Formentera,” Haines contemplates fame and shame, imagining walking away from it all on a beach of the picturesque Spanish island.
And “I Will Never Settle” is a bold response: “Caught a glimpse of a normal life/Terrified by the sight.” The lyrics flow confidently and doubtlessly as Haines repeats, “We will never settle, it would crush our souls.”
Throughout the album, there’s questioning and existentialism, and it’s an undoubted product of the past couple of pandemic years, but in classic Metric fashion, listeners can’t help but rock out anyway. (AP)