Billie Eilish /When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Jennifer Russo

You could probably call me a Billie Eilish superfan. A few years ago, when she emerged out of nowhere online with her hit “Ocean Eyes”, I was immediately enamored with her sound and had no idea that at the time, she was, what…14 years old? To have such a command of the voice and a confident style so young is inspiring, to say the very least. I have been following her ever since, so when her new album was released in late March, I had to download it immediately.  

Now, at only 17, she offers a deep and thoughtful album that hits every chord. It literally brings everything to the table – pop, hip-hop, punk, electronic, acoustic, jazz, acapella, distortion – and it’s downright weird in the very best way possible. The content of the album is surprisingly mature and dark, wrought with angsty cynicism, and discusses everything from death to addiction and heartbreak. It balances slow, unrelenting ballads with dance-worthy club style tracks with some well-placed background noise, like kids in a playground or random conversations.

There is a creepiness factor to be sure with one song that talks about being the “bad guy” and hitting on someone’s dad, to a song from the perspective of someone contemplating jumping off a building. There is even a song where she enters in with a child’s singing voice and duets with her “younger self”, something I have never heard done, but is f***ing brilliant. And as much as there is darkness, there is also a good deal of humor to be found throughout the tracks.

My favorite song by far is “You Should See Me in a Crown”. It’s so cool I won’t even explain it here – you have to hear it for yourself to see why it made it to the top for me.

Check out her official website at billieeilish.com – she will be touring and hitting Boston on June 14th.

Weezer/The Black Album

Jason Savio

Listening to Weezer in 2019 is like being stuck in a relationship that has run its course. Against your better judgement, you stick around because the other person still does just enough of those little things that made you fall for them in the first place. That’s exactly the trick that Weezer likes to play with listeners on the long-awaited Black Album. 

Despite the brooding sound its title suggests, the Black Album is one of Weezer’s glossiest and poppiest records to date. It can also be very frustrating. “Living in L.A.,” an upbeat, soulless pop fart, sounds nothing like Weezer. Sure, go ahead and experiment. Push the boundaries of what you think your band can do, but try not to make it sound like such a contrived and desperate attempt for a radio hit. Hey, Rivers Cuomo, you’ve done this before and lost half your audience. Lucky for you, some of them came back when you released Everything Will Be Alright in the End and the White Album. Why make the same mistake twice?

Cuomo ironically sings, “When I play guitar it’s sick” over the dance fuzz of “California Snow.” Please.

Is Cuomo trolling his fans? It’s hard to tell, but the sometimes-charming sense of humor we have come to expect from him is still intact on “I’m Just Being Honest” and “Too Many Thoughts in My Head,” with him deadpanning on the latter, “I’m so high on cookies it’s insane.” 

“High as a Kite” is a mix of the old and new Weezer, a skeleton of yesteryear dressed in a loose-fitting suit, and is the most genuine sounding song here. “Piece of Cake” is a close second.

To be fair, the Black Album can be fun to listen to, but unfortunately, it’s another addition to Weezer’s growing bin of guilty pleasures. It just sounds like a band trying to be something it’s not. Again. 

For more information, visit weezer.com.

Dido/Still on My Mind

Mike Wood

It’s probably not what one would call a full-fledged party, but Dido’s first album in five years should give us all reason to celebrate. Her signature sound is a much-needed breath of fresh air for a pop world saturated in saccharine sans substance. Known for wearing her vulnerability like a badge of honor when it comes to her songwriting, Dido’s often somber, but always soothing vocals are still the highlight for listeners. 

A triumphant return to 2000-era synch and electronica, we hear the inspiration of Dido’s folk music roots and her hat tip to hip-hop. Her music is grown up, too, with lyrics that touch on loss but always feel triumphant in spite of themselves. Back in 1999, “Thank You” became known as her signature song for a reason, and while that song is nearly 20 years old now, this musical sensibility is at the root of everything we’ll hear on Still on My Mind.

The proceedings are not all gloom and doom, of course. Dance beats bubble up and slowly simmer on this easy-to-listen-to album, too. With the full gamut of love-song angst (make-ups, break-ups, love lost, love found, marriage…and even motherhood), Still on My Mind showcases Dido’s most remarkable asset very well: her voice — think love child of The Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan and Sarah McLachlan. Sit back, relax and let Still on My Mind wash over you. It’s certainly worth a listen and is a solid entry in Dido’s musical catalog.

For more information, please visit didomusic.com or follow her on Twitter @didoofficial.