Before I get started, please allow me to address something first. This album is a dark-pop album, much in the same vein as Lady Gaga's "Fame Monster". I have nothing against Gaga, but I don't like Natalia being called a rip-off. The genre existed before both of them, and will continue on after them. I am aware that everyone has their own view on the situation, but honestly, other than a couple of tracks, I don't see a whole lot of similarity. That being said, I can now begin.
Natalia has made a very solid album. The overlying theme of "Perfectionist" is a very dark tone. Touching on the subjects of murder, betrayal, and pain, every dark corner of her mind is explored and may even shock people. The intro sums it up perfectly, as a doctor reads off they symptoms of her obsession. He eventually prescribes her a few doses of "Perfection" and the song immediately leads into the album's strongest single: "Wonderland".
I had known about this song for a while. Being a viral wizard, she released several club performances of selected songs far before the album dropped overseas. Having a heavy emphasis on organ-like synths and other Gothic tones, song is a very dark and catchy experience. This is juxtaposed by the lyrics, as they describe a love that transcends even fantasies. This feels the most polished out of all the singles, and the video is the strongest. This is the perfect introduction to anyone to get to know who Natalia is.
The other singles suffer a bit in different ways. "Zombie", the first track she released online, has a slower beat, and feels more r&b than the rest of the album. It feels out of place, especially when you listen to the album straight through. Alone, the track is amazing, but it just seems too out there. "Free" suffers from the same problem. It is very upbeat and deals with a much lighter subject than the rest of the album. While the style change is a warm welcome (and it also happens to be my all-time favorite Natalia track), it just doesn't sit well with the rest of the album. I, personally, have grown a bit tired of the Will.I.Am portion of the song, and thankfully the iTunes Deluxe version of the song includes the original version of the song.
"Mirrors" was meant to be Natalia's big breakthrough in the US. Called the "Just Dance" of 2010, it seemed like it would be her big entry into the Billboard top 100, but it didn't really go anywhere. I'm not sure if it was lack of promotion, or if it was just not what the people wanted any more, but I was sad to see that it didn't get airplay. Back when the song came out, I loved it. It was on all of my playlists and CDs for car jammin' but now, after all this time, it is wearing on me a bit. It's not that I don't like the song, but I was over exposed to it very early on, and now I would much prefer to hear the other tracks.
This album has a long list of very strong non-single songs. "Break You Hard" may sound a lot like "Mirrors" during the bridge, but other than that, it is a stand out. The song displays Natalia's female dominance. Another very strong track is "Love is a Suicide". The beat keeps you going, and makes you feel like you are racing with it. It has a lot of dark synth attributes. Dealing with that love we have all known, it talks about a relationship that feels more like a battle than a paradise. The song had been teased for a long time before the album release, said to be the followup single to "Mirrors" before "Wonderland" was chosen.
The album has a lighter side, too. There are several tracks where the dark mood lightens and we get to see a different side of this new diva. "Heaven" talks about a lost love. She talks about how Heaven is a more beautiful place with her friend there. "If I Was God" is a similar song, where she talks about how she would rule the world, and it may surprise you! (No whips or chains in sight!)
Aside from the new version of "Free" the only other track to have a featured artist on it is another favorite of mine "Nothing Lasts Forever". I'm not sure who Billy Kraven is, but his part in the song is sick'ning. I find it very refreshing to see an artist who comes out on their own. She may have an amazing record label behind her, but the vast majority of the songs are just her, demonstrating her talents as a songwriter and a vocalist. So many artist now come out with an album full of guest appearances to boast their popularity -- even some of my favorites have done this. I believe it is important, for the first album at least, to be bare bones; just the one person doing what they do best.
The only real exclusive for the deluxe edition of the album is the song "Kill My Boyfriend". Once again, going viral, she created a lot of hype about this song, and I have to say I'm not the least bit disappointed. The song relies more heavily on piano as opposed to synths, which can make it hard for her fans to swallow at first. I got a very strong The Hush Sound vibe from this song and I love it. This song alone made the album worth buying for me.
Overall, the album is a very strong debut. The only major complaint I have with it as a whole, is listening straight through, I kept feeling like I was hearing the same story over and over. A lot of the songs deal with the same subject of her having a crappy boyfriend she needs to dump, or is already destroying. I guess that is what makes tracks like "Free" and "Heaven" so refreshing, and solidifies my theory that said songs are the glue that holds the whole album together.
Natalia Kills has a smash. With a little push from the label, I think she can be just as big as her labelmates LMFAO and Far East Movement. I am excited to see what lies in store for Ms. Kills in the future, and I am even more interested to see what song will be her first post album release single.
No comments:
Post a Comment