by Andy Ciardella (@worstsumo)
UK duo Jockstrap didn’t name drop many musicians on their recent chamber pop indebted debut LP I Love You Jennifer B, but they do throw a few well-deserved lines toward a stellar album. On “Angst,” they sing “A lot’s gonna change/Hear it better believe it/Let it sink in/As his titanic rises.” This of course references the opening track as well as the title of Weyes Blood’s 2019 album Titanic Rising, an influence on not only Jockstrap but countless other of today’s songwriters. On Natalie Mering’s fourth record under the moniker, she fused the lush baroque pop she forged on her previous three LPs with enchanting songwriting that embodies modern anxieties. All written in a language that used galaxies, oceans, and movies as a way to vividly describe solitude and the desire of fulfillment. It was an ambitious undertaking that was flawlessly delivered and could have easily served as her peak.
Thankfully, Mering once again achieves the magic of Titanic Rising on her fifth studio album And In the Darkness, Hearts Aglow. Addressing it as the second in a supposed trilogy, it feels like the earthly successor to its watery predecessor. We’re no longer swimming in an ocean with our fears above sea level: we’ve risen to the shore and have to live alongside them.
Perfectly introducing this theme is the lead single, “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody,” where isolation has a firm grasp on Mering. The steady pace of the track contrasts with the uneasy lyrics that express emptiness in an ever-changing world. The tune takes a turn in the chorus where Mering sweetly sings the song’s title over an ascending chord progression, finding universality in her feelings of loneliness. The instrumentation that coincides with this section is equally as heavenly, with the sweep of a harp’s strings supporting the song’s breezy elegance.
In general, the songs’ individual identities are stronger here than on previous Weyes Blood releases. “God Turn Me Into A Flower” for example is carried by cavernous synth beds (courtesy of Oneohtrix Point Never), Mering’s drawn out vocals, and echoey bird sounds. With these simple elements, a dramatic climax is reached in a slow burn that never drags. In the lyrics, she references the Greek myth of Narcissus. She sings, “You see the reflection and you want it more than the truth/You yearn to be that dream you could never get to/Cause the person on the other side has always just been you,” relating this tale to digital age self-obsession. In both the lyrics and the instrumentation, this track perfectly exemplifies Weyes Blood’s true talent: blending the classic and contemporary.
Along with musical left turns like the aforementioned track as well as the vintage drum machine driven “Twin Flame,” Mering also serves poppier cuts with the same grace. On songs like “Hearts Aglow” and “The Worst Is Done,” her serenely melodic vocals take center stage. On the former, her smooth croon guides the track into one of the most memorable choruses in the Weyes Blood discography. Behind her are legato strings and harmonizing backing vocals that make this song glide with ease. On the latter, Mering’s apocalyptic lyricism returns delivering the line “They say the worst is done/But I think it’s only just begun,” over a dissimilarly jaunty instrumental. This is embodied by the peppy rhythm section and playful synth lines, and is overall the best use of lyrical and instrumental contrast on the record (though there are many contenders).
And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow not only certifies Natalie Mering’s status as one of indie rock’s most accomplished songwriters, but also her mastery of crafting albums that cut deep unsuspectingly. Though always steeped in nostalgic sounds and production styles, Weyes Blood is grounded in 21st century detachment and uncertainty. She presents life’s unsettling emotions in the most captivating of ways.