You know how I know I'm stupid? I spent a good minute staring at this artist, LP, trying to figure out what I'm listening to this week, an LP, and how that's the same letters, or something.
Here on one hand you have an incredible voice, belting out high-energy pop or chamber ballads for nearly an hour, backed by her own reverbs, on top of pop-rock sensibilities and production. This should hit right in my sweet spot. "Heavenly Light" is the former pop hitter right at the album start, and later, "Into the Wild" and others do it again. The title track is an example of your quiet chamber closer. LP's vocals and songwriting are compelling enough that she makes a memorable, radio-hit song. Which is probably why she's an esteemed ghostwriter.
On the other hand, this all kind of sounds the same. On every relisten, I somehow -lose- some of the texture. Many songs have the same structure—LP bringing her big, alto/soprano, warbly vocals to drive a chorus on top of lightly layered instruments. Mid-naughts indie rock writing meets mid-teens pop vocals. Throw in some flavor touches, like the Asian-sounding noises in "Tokyo Sunrise," to round out the album. It's fine, but not compelling.
The lyrics are also fine, but easily weird-al-able ("you're my lead retainer"), and feel mostly another vehicle for LP's voice. Compared to like a Gaga, you see how songwriting and theme can differentiate solid singers in an album format. Real interesting for one song, less interesting over a dozen, which is a light critique, because this is still competent and interesting work, just not something that's having me come back for more.
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