Quarter 3 and 4's it girl, Lorde, has released her first LP, Pure Heroine. Naturally, the album includes the worldwide smash and current iTunes No.1, Royals, as well as some previously unseen gems. As a 16 year old debut artist, she's crafted an album more clever and polished than most of the veteran acts have this year.
Her lyrics are her natural strong suit here, obsessed with the idea of regality having negative side effects she would never wish to indulge in (Royals, Tennis Court). Though she delves in this area of her mind for a majority of the album, she does show that she is a bit of fun, with songs like Ribs capitalizing on essentially all the things a teenage girl would have on her Tumblr. However, Lorde is far more advanced than that, she's light years ahead of the metagame, producing sonically advanced tracks that leave the likes of Katy Perry and Britney Spears gasping for air on mainstream radio. She's a dark horse (no pun intended), using complex images to describe simple situations in shockingly articulated music.
Though her lyrics standout, her voice shouldn't go unnoticed. She shows off her Lana Del Rey-esuqe lower register on the aforementioned Ribs, while soaring into her head voice on the same track, creating peaceful ear candy harmonies. She's well rounded, taking in the best from the best artists, to create an album that can be universally acclaimed by listeners of all backgrounds.
Lyrics: A+
Vocals: B+
Production: A
Overall: A