Photo Courtesy of The Upcoming
Story by Makala Greene/Contributing Writer
Beabadoobee knows how to stun us with her debut album, “Fake It Flowers,” which is filled with nineties pop-grunge inspired songs. The album is considered to be her most personal and compelling expression yet, considering she said each song is like a diary entry.
The alternative scene has been ever-changing since the nineties, and listening to her album feels like going back in time. After the first listen, you will feel a whirl of emotions just from the strumming of the guitars and her sweet silk-like vocals. This new record allows us to dive into who beabadoobee really is, considering it’s our first full-length introduction to her.
The Filipino-born British star is relatively new to the music scene. She’s been experimenting with her sound, and it’s evident in the difference between old EPs and “Fake It Flowers.” Since her single, “Coffee,” went viral on Soundcloud and Tik Tok, she has grown musically and seems to have found what works for her and her brand.
“Fake It Flowers” is primarily about both the harsh and wonderful things we go through in our young adult lives. Beabadoobee fleshes out her textured melodies with lo-fi rock arrangements that allow the message to flow from track to track. Through the 12 songs on the album, Bea consistently puts the focus on rhythmic bursts of guitar.
“Care” is the first single from the album and tells stories of how people don’t really care about anything besides themselves. A mid-track guitar solo contains some of the best sounding instrumentation on the album. Bea’s honey-like vocals sing over the beats: “Forget about it/ I don’t want your sympathy/ I guess I’ve had enough/ But you don’t really care, care, yeah.”
“Dye it Red” is a whole song dedicated to how dumb boys can be at times. The track captures the feelings of girls who don’t care what their boyfriends think. The instrumentals of the song are played over a nice beat with guitar. “When you’re not even that cute/ And maybe it’s time to change my ways/ But that doesn’t include you/ Let me cut my hair and dye it red if I want to,” repeats Bea as she questions her relationship decisions
“How Was Your Day?” takes you back to beabadoobee’s earlier EPs. She talks about the simple things she misses in life, just Bea and her guitar exploring the world of what used to be and will be. “Cause even then you’re the best that I’ve had/ Cause even when we’re miles away I know/ You’ll still want me as usual,” she sings through endearingly strained vocals.
The album comes together in the end, getting us more in tune with that old nineties rock sound. Standout tracks “Care” and “How Was Your Day” give the album a genuinely personal touch that makes you feel like you know Bea. It was hard to pick any track that could have been done better, but “Emo Song” and “Sorry” are very similar in instrumentation and tempos. I would have liked to see “Emo Song” sped up just a tad.
Overall, beabadoobee gives us quite a bit to love on this LP. I look forward to what we’ll hear from her next, even if it’s just Bea strumming away on her guitar.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Brandon Black, email [email protected].
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