It's been 5 years since La Roux came out with their eponymous debut album. Now, Let Me Down Gently has graced the internet, with a digital release of May 13th. Did La Roux make a real comeback, or is it a bit underwhelming?
First off, this is no Bulletproof. It's no In For the Kill. It's not the typical dance-pop that we saw on their debut. This is much more tame in terms of tempo. The duo has adopted some drums to accompany some of lead singer Elly Jackson's less piercing vocal performances. The song starts out very dry and dare I say boring; there's an excruciating period where you wait for some monumental synths to take you away. When the synths come in, it's just enough to be satisfying, but you're also left wanting a tad more.
If this is the lead single and representative of what the album as a whole sounds like, one can expect to have some less radio friendly smashes to fill the albums track list. There does seem to be some growth here in terms of artistry however, they don't seem afraid to embrace a somewhat more minimalistic sound approach. If you're a Top 40 devotee, then this song and probably the album won't be of your taste. But if you're willing to take a breather from songs like Timber or Drunk in Love, then this might be your fit.
Overall: B-
Take a listen here!