With June 21st slowly approaching, every album release at the minute seems like the perfect soundtrack to the perfect summer. The queen of drinking-related songs, Lucy Spraggan has just dropped her fifth studio album, titled ‘Choices,’ and it is already making us feel like the season is changing.
Lucy Spraggan first came into our lives and stole our hearts with her original song, ‘Last Night (Beer Fear).’ The single made it into the Top 10 charts, and since then, Spraggan has released albums and EPs that are increasingly brilliant. ‘Choices’ is obviously no exception. In her previous releases, we have learned that she is unapologetically fierce and brutally honest in her lyrics, bringing a modern twist to classic Britpop.
The first track on the album is ‘Flowers.’ Upon reading the tracklist, ‘Flowers’ is not at all what we expect it to be. Wickedly sweet, the Western/Britpop crossover is exactly the type of track we would expect to hear in a detective drama or an old classic Western. This song really sets the tone for the album, perfectly blending different styles, with a strong British accent heard throughout. Tambourines are littered around the kick of the bass drum, adding sweetness to this saucy tale. It opens the album with a fierceness we only know to expect from her type of music. The short-syllabled lyrics give the illusion of a ticking time bomb of information just waiting to explode. This track matches the energy of ‘Before He Cheats‘ by Carrie Underwood, but with a scarily calm undertone. Perhaps this track is the calm before the storm?
Reaching the third track of the album we have a dramatic shift in not only energy but in the feel of the album. The ballad, ‘Sober,’ is brutally honest, with a heartbreaking guitar and haunting harmonies on the chorus. The lyrics in this song hit incredibly close to home for Lucy Spraggan with her openly stating her progression to sobriety. The personal touch on this track makes it all the more relatable. The sickly sweet guitar adds a saddening edge to the track, with Spraggan using her head voice and breathy tones to convey the story. The lyrics in this track are almost a love letter, telling herself what needs to be done to become a better person.
When nearing the end of the album the pace and tempo of the songs pick up, and the mood of the whole album is shifted into a positive light. It shows what is to come is something positive and will bring good energy. ‘Run‘ mirrors this feeling incredibly. Spraggan has kept it no secret that this album is experimental, but she has moulded each new genre she is exploring into her own style. ‘Run’ experiments with the use of an Indian rhythm played on the tabla, adding a depth that you just can’t acquire on another instrument.
The lyrics in this song: “I wanna run to the end of the world / Just to see if it’s possible” round up the common feeling we have all been having throughout the awful start to 2021. This song reflects the energy we see at the start of the album in ‘Run to the Hills‘ where she sings “I’ve been feeling so lost / I just need to run to the hills.” Well, don’t we all Lucy, don’t we all?
The game-changing song in this album is ‘Animal.’ This song certainly packs a punch, and shows that Spraggan won’t back down for anyone. From the swinging drum beat to the brilliant electric bassline, this song pumps through your veins and makes you feel like you can complete any task that you put your mind to.
This album is overflowing with the energy we get at the start of spring each year. The warm vocals reflect the days getting warmer and the nights getting longer. It is littered with incredibly honest and real feeling lyrics, as well as catchy guitar hooks and riffs to back them up. From the delicately pretty ballad ‘Sober’ to the Summer defining ‘Run,’ this album has it all.
It is safe to say that Lucy Spraggan is back, and she is not backing down.
