Birdy's new album, 'Portraits', looks at life, relationships, and artistry itself
UK based, singer songwriter Birdy, released her fourth studio album, Portraits, this past Friday, and left us in the wake of its singularity. The album ushered in a new sound for the artist; a mature collection of synth pop piano ballads, reflecting on her life and relationships. The album was a simple and smart way to do an end of summer release, almost every track having its own little nuance.
The opening track, ‘Paradise Calling’, gave listeners a youthful optimism through a new synth pop sound. The track sounds straight off the Perks of Being a Wallflower soundtrack and with lyrics like “we could find a way out of the dark,” this track gives us something to believe in.
‘Raincatchers’ opens with striking strings and through its intensity discusses youthful innocence and it matches the musical introspection of a young Lana Del Rey. This track, though piercing in its production, feels like mourning. It’s a release of all the things that once saved you.
‘Listeners’ take a trip back to the 80’s with ‘Ruins I’ and almost definitely, they enjoy it. The hard-hitting crunchy beat sets the pace of the song and Birdy’s vocals shine through. Adjacent to the title, the track talks of a relationship of ruins and the reckoning with the downfall.
‘In Your Arms’, we hear Birdy go back to her roots. This soft piano ballad is placed perfectly on the record, a sort of intermission of the more upbeat metaphors. “I paint you with colors that were never there,” is just one example of the exceptional writing on the track and it has definitely stood out as a personal favorite.
An indie flash to the past, ‘Heartbreaker’, moves us back into the buoyant pace of the album. The track opens with angelic layered vocals; one of Birdy’s coined features. “You say one more dance and I always give in,” perfectly illustrates the themes of the track and highlights, once again, the artistry of the record.
‘I Wish I Was A Shooting Star’ is the statement piece, with (objectively) the best track title on the album. Its spoken poetry style production allows her English accent to shine through and with lyrics talking about being in a “dark haze” and wanting to be noticed, they become even more personal.
On the title track of the album, ‘Portraits’, Birdy discusses the idea of loving someone so much you want to be them, an obsessive, almost unhealthy sort of attachment displayed in lyrics like, “call me obsessed but I’d die if you were to speak to me.” The themes continue with the production, chanting vocals, slow low profile melodies and vocals; constantly building, only to fade away, like you’re in a room with Birdy but can’t quite reach her; or maybe just her portraits.
‘Ruins II’, the counterpart of ‘Ruin I’, is its opposite in every way. It’s faster paced than the first track, the production matching the lyrics. Where I talks about being better off without someone, II is hopeful, it’s asking for a chance to put together what was once broken, and even if it’s not perfect, it’s okay.
Track nine on the record, ‘Automatic’, offers a dramatic change in pace and while the tempo is different from its counterparts, it begins to feel repetitive. The track is a good vintage alt-pop song and carries the themes and sound of the rest of the album well but it doesn’t distinguish itself.
‘Battlefield’, opens with a classic piano sound, using Birdy’s normal audience draw and introduces more produced elements later in the track. Like the previous song, it blends into the background a bit, but lyrics such as, “Out here it’s a battlefield... Is anyone countin’ tears at all?” shine through.
The closing track of the album, ‘Tears Don’t Fall’, brings back the synth for one final belting vocal. Birdy discuss the memories of a love that was, making it clear there are “no regrets” because at the end of it, they did have the love. The song, emotional and thoughtful is a perfect closet for an introspective project like Portraits.
Make sure to catch Birdy at one of her upcoming shows in the UK or US and check out her other projects. See https://www.officialbirdy.com/ for more information.
Photo: Thibault-Theodore