beabadoobee doesn’t care about making an album for now; she dives headfirst into the alternative/indie sound of the early 2000s. The record is driven by guitars, so that means plenty of distortion, feedback, and fuzzy riffs sit next to her softer vocals to take the edge off. The album may sound nostalgic, but it doesn’t try to copy the past.

On the title track, you hear something quite ethereal before the guitars start to take control. The acoustic is joined by a distorted guitar solo, and then the outro includes feedback over that acoustic strumming before reverb brings it to an end. That sets up the tempo for the rest of the record.

‘Sun Has Set’ quickly follows with a burst of energy. The guitars are loud and raw, giving the album its first sharp burst. ‘Estranged’ is quintessentially 2000s indie, with the guitars that would fool you if you had never heard the song or the artist before.

The guitars remain the main focus on ‘Switchblade’, ‘Write Me a Letter’, and ‘In Motion’ as beabadoobee shifts from soft to bursts of distortion. ‘Memories’ is more reflective, and ‘Radio’ brings the tempo up again with its fuzzy sound and strong guitar riff.

I enjoyed the collaboration with Paramore’s Hayley Williams on ‘Nothing to Prove’. The vocals blend well, and Hayley doesn’t just feel like a guest. She brings value to the track. Other collaborations include Brendan Yates on ‘Powerlines’, and Deftones frontman Chino Moreno on the closer ‘Satellite’.

“Pylon” reminded me of early 2000s indie music. It may have elements of grunge, emo, and ’90s alternative rock, but overall, it has that early-2000s indie, guitar-driven sound. Of course, it isn’t all just loud guitars; it has acoustic parts, ethereal vocals, and tender moments, but the electric guitar is at the heart of it.

That is why I like “Pylon”. It is nostalgic, but her songwriting and vocals make it unique. A lot of solo artists pretending to be rock sound polished, but beabadoobee just gets it. The album has distortion, feedback, fuzz, and is raw. That makes for an authentic listen.

Song recommendations: ‘Estranged’, ‘Sun Has Set’, ‘Pylon’

9/10