Grace McLean’s music, hailed by Rolling Stone as “Brilliant,” blends sophisticated and avant-garde pop to captivate listeners with its layers and mastery in execution. Her debut album, “My Lovely Enemy”, delves into the aftermath of a breakup, resonating with emotional depth and intellectual fervor— keep reading for my thoughts!
With production by Justin Goldner, McLean’s sound has earned international acclaim from The New York Times and The Huffington Post— and now, on “My Lovely Enemy”, she brings the best of her sound to the table, entertaining the listener endlessly from the start, to the very end. Tracks like the opener and title bring in that beautiful 70s-80s sound and blend it with modern production techniques, while Grace’s free-flowing vocals transcend scales and such bullish stereotypes; yet manages, more than easily, to maintain musical coherence.
“Reckless” takes the energy up in the production department, and introduces yet more experimentation; with percussion elements that strike you from the widest reaches of the mix, this one is an entertaining listen for sure; with her soulful, more legato vocals in the choruses, this track also lends itself to more singing-friendly situations.
More tracks of note on the album include “Haven’t You Noticed”, and “Day Satisfaction”, as well as the closer to the album, “Everybody Loves”— all of these tracks bring their own structure, their own motifs to the album, keeping the experience delightfully varied — and may I say — spicy and seasoned just about perfectly.
The production on this album is sure to bring an ear-wide grin to your face, with its constant little doodads, its playful approach to sound design, all coupled with a technically absolutely stone-solid execution in the master. The balance between an easy initiation and an absolute rollercoaster in experimentation and bringing avant-garde influences to the listen is always what Grace has excelled at; from the gentle tablas and the dancey rhythms of “Ocean Vapor” to the wallpaper-like texture to the sound design on “Haven’t You Noticed” that’s so palpable you’re almost tempted to reach out and hold it, it’s a masterclass, really. Couple this with a master that is (pleasantly surprisingly) able to more than bring these elements together with cohesion and glue that makes the songs belong with each other, and “My Lovely Enemy” is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a must listen for sure! Check “My Lovely Enemy” out here!
Discovered via https://app.musosoup.com #sustainablecurator