The young Billie Eilish, at just 22 years old, is already releasing her third album. On Hit Me Hard And Soft, the singer attempts to match the success of her previous albums. She partially succeeds. After a somewhat lackluster start, she redeems herself in the second half of this new album.
Following hits like Bad Guy, Bury A Friend, NDA, and Happier Than Ever, the bar is set very high for Eilish and her brother and regular producer Finneas. In their home studio, they managed to create another strong record together. However, it’s this pressure that Eilish addresses as she opens her album with Skinny. This is a theme she has often discussed in her songs. It’s a modern issue that many (young) artists face. It makes for a personal opening that sets the tone for the album.
Unlike her earlier work, Eilish showcases her vocals right from the first track. She is more than the whispering singer who became famous with Ocean Eyes. Her second album, Happier Than Ever, already gave a preview, but on Hit Me Hard And Soft, she fully utilizes her strong voice.
But before she fully unleashes it, she lingers in a safe musical zone. With tracks like Lunch, Chihiro, and the saccharine Birds of a Feather, she reaches back in sound to some of her earlier songs. It’s easy listening but not yet surprising. Something Eilish did right from the start on albums When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and Happier Than Ever.
The second half of Hit Me Hard And Soft
While Eilish and her brother play it safe in the first half, doing what is expected of a pop artist, they take a different approach in the second half of the album. The added punch in this half works surprisingly well. Combine that with her increasingly strong vocals, and a lot of new hits are made.
Whether they will be radio hits is another question. The duration of most tracks is well over three minutes, occasionally nearing six minutes. This gives enough time to build from a simple guitar to a fun pop track that then explodes with an absurd dance beat. And all that in one song. L’Amour De Ma Vie marks the transition to the second half of this album.
Tracks like The Diner, Bittersuite (with a clever pun in the title), and Blue also manage to surprise musically. From a nice bass rhythm to an electronic guitar. The atmosphere here strongly resembles a mix of previous singles NDA and OverHeated. As a producer, Finneas seems to have revisited his earlier work and drawn inspiration from it. No problem, because it works.
Lyrically strong
By now, it seems Eilish has forgiven her ex. Something that wasn’t the case on Happier Than Ever. The love of her life is sung about multiple times, but now in a friendlier tone. Hit Me Hard And Soft is thus a kinder album. Something not immediately evident from the title.
In contrast to the music, Eilish is lyrically very strong from the first track. With personal songs about dealing with pressure, sexuality, and falling in love, fans get a glimpse into Eilish’s life. Something she previously did not do as quickly. It’s not surprising then that both Billie Eilish and Finneas call Hit Me Hard And Soft their most personal work to date.
But the success of this album largely depends on her previous successes. No singles have been released. It turns out she doesn’t need them. She hasn’t really been away in the meantime from album two to three. With the Barbie soundtrack What Was I Made For, she often performed at award shows. With this, she even won her second Oscar.
But whether Eilish will also be successful at the next award shows with her third album remains to be seen. In a short time span, several female pop artists have released very strong albums. The Recording Academy behind the Grammys will have a tough time. Will it be Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, or will there be another musical surprise?
