Solar Power by Lorde - A Review
By: Mallory Johnson
Lorde finally released her long awaited third album called Solar Power on August 20th (which was the day before my 20th birthday). The album is full of summery vibes and fun songs, while also having her classic emotional punch. The album weaves intellectual lyrics about love, relationships, fame, heartbreak, family, nature, politics, and growing up all together in a beautiful way.
The first song, The Path, is about fame and growing up. In the song, Lorde says, “Caught in the complex divorce of the seasons/Won’t take the call if it’s the label or the radio.” She also says, “Now if you’re looking for a savior, well, that’s not me.” I love this line. The second song (and title track) is called Solar Power and is the perfect song to blare on the beach. The song is about using nature and the outdoors as escapism. In the song, she sings, “Forget all of the tears that you cried, it’s over.” She also says, “And I throw my cellular device in the water/Can you reach me? No, you can’t” I like this line because Lorde does not use social media and it feels fitting. But my favorite line in the song (and possibly whole album) is “I’m kinda like a prettier Jesus.” Moving on to track 3, California is once again exploring fame and how Lorde does not like it. Lorde sings, “Goodbye to all the bottles, all the models/Bye to the clouds in the skies that all hold no rain. /Don’t want that California love.” Lorde slows it down for the emotional fourth song on the album called Stoned at the Nail Salon. The song is about growing up, nostalgia, and disassociation. My favorite lyrics in this song are, “Cause all the music you loved at sixteen you’ll grow out of/And all the times they will change, it’ll all come around.” The fifth song is called Fallen Fruit and is about remembering those who came before us. In the song, she sings, “To the ones who came before us/All the golden ones who were lifted on a wing/We had no idea the dreams we had were far too big.” Track six is my favorite song on the whole album. It is called Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All), and it is about nostalgia, grief, and growing up. It reminds me of songs that would be in early 2000’s movies. In the song, she says, “Couldn’t wait to turn fifteen/Then you blink, and it’s been ten years/Growing up a little at a time, then all at once.” She also sings “‘Member what you thought was grief before you got the call?” Track seven is called The Man with the Axe. She sings “I thought I was a genius, but now I’m twenty-two.” The eighth song on the album, Dominoes, is a petty reflection on an ex-boyfriend. It reminds me of the song Mr. Perfectly Fine by Taylor Swift. In the song, she sings, “Fifty gleaming chances in a row/Then you flick them down like dominoes/Must feel good being Mr. Start Again.” Lorde slows it down again for the heartbreaking ninth song called Big Star which is about her dog Pearl that passed away. She sings “But every perfect summer’s gotta take its flight.” Track ten is called Leader of a New Regime and is a short song about politics. She sings, “Won’t somebody, anybody, be the leader of a new regime?” In the eleventh song, Mood Ring, Lorde satirizes people who are spiritual and use crystals. She sings “Don’t you think the early 2000s seem so far away?” and “Ladies, begin your sun salutation/Transcendental in your meditations/You can burn sage and I’ll cleanse the crystals/We can get high, but only if the wind blows.” The final song on the standard album is called Oceanic Feeling, which is a whopping six minutes long. In the song, Lorde says “Slidin’ the knife under the skin/Grateful for this offering/And all the livin’ things under the sun.”
Overall, I love this album and I am so happy that Lorde finally released a new album after not releasing anything for four whole years. My favorite songs are Secrets from a Girl, Solar Power, and Stoned at the Nail Salon. I give Solar Power a strong 10/10 and highly recommend checking it out!