Lizzo – Special
morning folks! this week we’re taking a break from the regular schedule to try and catch some recent (and a few not recent) releases that have slipped by me on the normal review pace. today’s review is going to be Lizzo’s most recent record, July 2022’s Special.
The Sign is a very fun opener – i dig tracks that are a little meta like this, and there’s something infectious about this plainly stated self-hyping. About Damn Time was the lead single off this album, and i really dig this disco inspired jam. plus the little flute bits here are really fun, and Lizzo sounds like she’s just having a blast. love this track. Grrls is a fun party track, and i feel pretty positively about it but its not a homerun for me. 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) is a dancier track – like, i expect this to be paired with a big dance number or a series of exercize tapes, haha. I Love You Bitch spreads some of that positivity around. its a mellower, synthy kinda track, and yeah its nice. Special sheds some of the ironic detachment of I Love You Bitch for some genuine, down to earth positivity. really nice track. Break Up Twice is a serious track, making a plea to a partner to shape up – this one grew on me a lot. Everybody’s Gay is a carefully constructed party anthem, ramping back up into strong disco beats definitely lifted from Rick James’ Give It To Me, and yknow what, yeah im on board. good shit. Naked is a quiet moment of vulnerability, a soft, quieter song that is very intimate. Birthday Girl’s p good – i dig the brassy energy on display here. If You Love Me is another really tender track. very nice here. Coldplay’s a really fun closer – i enjoy this bassier, smoother track quite a bit.
faves – The Sign, About Damn Time, Break Up Twice, Everybody’s Gay
dislikes –
i remember listening to this record right when it came out and being a little underwhelmed, but diggin back into it there’s quite a bit of really fun stuff here. musically, theres a lot of 80s and disco influence spread over the record, resulting in some really fun and funky jams. Lizzo’s vocals continue to be absolutely gorgeous, and there’s a ton of really fun wordplay here (im specifically thinking of the “light touches” thing from If You Love Me, haha).
and thematically, this is a fun kind of “reemergence” album, which has been kind of a theme this week with both the KGLW records and Bleed Out representing fresh work post lockdown. Lizzo is exploring a lot of positivity and exploration of identity with more tender and personal moments, and the album as a whole ends up as a very fun experience.
Special – 7/10
Discussion ¬