Matilda Mann’s “Roxwell” is Sweet and Sorrowful
In this day and age, “music” has become such an expansive term. There are so many different sounds that can be made, and so many ways for it to be made. To create music is no longer necessarily just singing into a microphone. However, with her debut album ‘Roxwell,’ Matilda Mann proves that sometimes, less is more. This is an album where she sings her heart out, and shows that when done right, that’s all that’s needed to make good music.
The first track, “At The End Of The Day,” is sweetly sorrowful. Her voice is soft yet gripping, reminiscent of British singer-songwriter Billie Marten, or indie-pop darling Lizzy McAlpine. The song features short yet powerful lines where the singer reflects on a relationship, and at the end concludes "I'm walking away.” The positioning of this track as the first on the album is intriguing, because while that repetitive last line is definitive and final, there is so much more to come on the album that follows.
Roxwell by Matilda Mann
Next, “Say It Back” is not the simple song of yearning that it seems to be on the surface. It’s more upbeat than its predecessor. The chorus repeats a common sentiment of unrequited love, “Why don't you say it, say it back? / Why don't you feel the way I feel?” Just considering the chorus, it would be easy to immediately “take the side” of the singer, wishing on her behalf that whoever the song is addressing would reciprocate her feelings. However, when considering the lyrics of the verses, the song actually seems to be portraying a desperate and unhealthy attachment, making statements such as “I'd quit my job to stay with you / I'd vote for who you'd tell me to” and “I'd tell them you're an angel / And if you committed murder I'd fess up.” These sweeping claims are concerning in the sense that the singer seems to be willing to completely relinquish all agency for the other’s affection. The song reflects just how consuming unrequited love can be, but wraps this darker truth in a cheerful melody.
Following “Say It Back,” “Dazed & Confused” remains upbeat and is a similar proclamation of romantic feelings. While the lyrics overall tend more positive, there is another hint of the lengths to which the singer would go during the outro, with the lines “I'd do anything for you, baby / I would surrender every time you call.”
Mann’s vocals really begin to shine in the next track, “Tell Me That I’m Wrong.” After breathy verses, she hums throughout the chorus, capturing an intensity of feeling through just her melody. Once again, she drops some of the most striking lyrics of the song in the outro: “I could love you for forever / If you tell me when to start.”
“See You Later” was the final single released from the album, and is one of the standout tracks. Mann released a noteworthy number of singles prior to the album, eight out of the fourteen songs were already familiar to listeners. While many artists tend to be less revealing about their upcoming albums, Mann’s strategy seems successful in that it built anticipation and allowed listeners to rehear the songs in the context of the whole piece, giving them new layers and life.
“Worst Person Alive” dives into a nuanced pain; there is so much art that discusses the hardship of being left, but this track references the difficulty of being the one to leave. The titular question, “Am I the worst person alive?” says it all—in leaving the other, the singer is experiencing a crippling guilt. The song is devastating and resonant.
The strings-centric introduction to “Just Because” stands out. In the track that follows, Mann sheds her melancholy and instead takes on a more assertive tone. In the chorus, she makes a clear statement: “I think you need something I'm not / Or you just carelessly forgot / That just because you think it's love / Doesn't mean it is.”
Serving as an interlude of sorts, there is only one verse to “Only So Far Away.” The whole track is under a minute, featuring haunting vocals and an ambiguous ending.
As quickly as “Only So Far Away” begins, it ends, and transitions suddenly into the opening drums of “Meet Cute.” Contrary to what comes before it, “Meet Cute” is a pop ballad that is purely lighthearted and fun.
The juxtaposition of “Everything I’m Not” and “Common Sense” is noteworthy. While the former is a sweet declaration of love, the latter takes place after a love has ended. Mann also makes opposing statements in each, in the first she boldly states “Call me crazy (Crazy) / But I know that's everything I'm not.” In the second, she explains that “Common sense is something I don't have a lot.” It seems unlikely that the rhyming of these lines is a coincidence.
“Autopilot” and “All That Was Said” continue to leave a bittersweet taste with the listener. However, the final song of the album, “Girls,” seems to wrap the entire piece up nicely with a bow. Here, Mann reflects on growth, and the power of female friendship. She reminds us that sometimes, coming back to our roots is the grounding force needed to propel us forward.
