Throughout the beginning of 2024, many artists have begun to announce and release their new albums on streaming platforms, making it incredibly clear that this is the year for new music. Some of these artists include Taylor Swift with “The Tortured Poets Department,” Dua Lipa with “Radical Optimism,” Billie Eilish with “Hit Me Hard and Soft” and so many more. One more esteemed artist releasing an album this year is girl in red.
The singer, girl in red, is an indie pop and alternative artist who has been a big part of the queer music scene since the debut of her hit songs “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend” and “We Fell In Love In October.” Her new album, “I’M DOING IT AGAIN BABY,” was released on April 12 and consists of 10 songs with a feature from popular singer Sabrina Carpenter. As a fan of girl in red myself, I was very thrilled to hear she was releasing new music since her previous album came out three years ago. Now that we have this amazing album in our hands, here are my thoughts on each song and the album as a whole, in a list from my most to least favorite.
- “I’m Back”
This is an amazing song to start off the album. It gives listeners a view into her mind and what she has been experiencing in between albums. It expresses the message that even people who are high up on the pedestal of life can feel down and experience the same things we do, and I think that’s a
powerful and amazing move on her part to begin the album.
- ★★★★★ (5 Stars)
This is a great song to end off the album on. I love the mechanical sounds that are added to the song and that it eventually become part of the beat. I think it’s unique and something I have not heard any artist do before.
- “A Night To Remember”
This is a good song to break up the album. It is slower than the other songs which is a good thing when you are listening to albums; you want slower tracks to make the album diverse and have music and lyrics for every mood. I like the story of this song because it is a different take on fate and how people are meant to be.
- “Phantom Pain”
This song has a good message of someone giving their all and falling hard for a person, but the other person is leading them on and hurting them along the way. The production of the song is good; I like the instruments and the filters that are used to make the song what it is.
- “Ugly Side”
When the first note played, I was captivated by the low beats that gave it kind of a darker vibe which paired well with the more negative, sadder lyrics. I feel like this song is good for people who feel like sometimes they have two different sides to them. “Ugly Side” explains how that feeling can affect how people interact with others and their mental health.
- “DOING IT AGAIN BABY”
If you need a feel-good song to lift your spirits and make you feel like you are on top of the world, this is the song for you. It has that fun and fast-paced energy that immediately made me want to get up to dance and sing along.
- “Pick Me”
Immediately from the start of the song, I was drawn in by the lyrics and melody. It has a good message of wanting to be chosen by someone but not picking you in the end and the anxiety that comes with it. I love the lyricism on this song and her vocals that are demonstrated so much more than any other track.
- “Too Much”
This song is perfect for anyone who has ever been told they are over the top when they get excited about something. It shows how being told to chill out when you feel genuinely happy can affect you. This song is very upbeat while still holding a lot of emotional lyrics, which she is known for. When listening to this, I felt that the lyrics resonated with me and made me feel like I was not alone in feeling this way.
- “New Love”
This feels like a classic girl in red song; it gives me that nostalgia of her older music, but still with a modern twist to it. I like the upbeat sound of this song and the mixture of the sadder lyrics. This is a good tune for anyone who wants a song you can dance to, and then read the lyrics and find yourself relating even more.
- “You Need Me Now? Ft. Sabrina Carpenter”
This song has amazing lyrics and again showcases what girl in red does best, pairing emotional lyrics with upbeat tracks that will cause you to think deeply and find the true meaning of the song, but also have you dancing to it at the same time. Along with the song as a whole, Carpenter’s part is so well done because of her amazing riffs and voice in general.
Overall, I think this album is really well-written and produced. Girl in red has a very unique sound to her and I think that adds to the album’s production as a whole.
