ALBUM REVIEW: Lizzy McAlpine - five seconds flat (2022)

 

Lizzy McAlpine - five seconds flat (2022)

Genre(s): Singer-Songwriter, Indie Folk, Folk Pop, Indie Pop, Indietronica


Okay, I listened to five seconds flat because I had previously heard two of its tracks both being great, one being “ceilings” from it becoming a bit of a thing in 2023, and the other being “orange show speedway”, which a user of Pulse Music Board recommended to me. So with that in mind, I had some expectations going into this...and?


You know...even preparing for this album to be great, wow, this album completely knocked me off my feet in, well, five seconds flat! Yeah, this is an obvious Phoebe Bridgers ripoff, but if I must say so, it's a really damn good ripoff! And while I’ve honestly found myself struggling to really love a lot of Phoebe Bridgers’s music (I still do like everything I’ve heard from her, but it’s definitely in a way that I respect more than like), I felt that there are so many incredible moments here thanks to the compositions here - like that incredible liquid groove on “orange show speedway”, or the swell into a more rock instrumentation in “what a shame”, or even the steady build up of the vocal layering on “ceilings”, which has really grown on me. But that’s not to overlook the songwriting here, notably on “reckless driving”, which features Ben Kessler portraying the reckless driver as McAlpine plays the role of the careful driver. That back and forth feels weirdly captivating haha (or maybe is it a metaphor for a relationship between two people trying to work it out? I honestly don’t know lol). And the abrupt ending on that song is just an inspired as hell artistic decision I must highlight too.


The only song I’d say is a “weak point” on this album is “nobody likes a secret”, which is still good, but admittedly left me wanting more from the instrumentation, which being honest, reminds me a bit of the weaker songs on folklore by Taylor Swift.


So...what are my final thoughts? Yeah, I came in expecting an 8/10 album, and my expectations were still surpassed!! Its more subtle moments make it feel very intimate, but at the same time, its more cathartic cuts add an atmosphere of suspense. So, my rating? 9/10. This is incredible. Best song, I’ll go with a tie between “orange show speedway” and “firearm”, with honorable mention being a 5-way tie (yes FIVE way tie) between “ceilings”, “called you again”, “all my ghosts”, “reckless driving”, and “what a shame”. No dishonorable mention, and “worst”, it’s still pleasant enough, but “nobody likes a secret”.


Thank you all for reading!! My next article has been in the works since 2022 or so and I’m so excited for when I get to publish it!! Stay tuned for that, and until then, I’ll see you next time!

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