Emma Blackery - Villains

Emma Blackery - Villains (2018)

Genre: Synth-pop, Dance-Pop

I'll admit that I would have never reviewed this if it weren't for a friend's love for this album, because admittedly, I don't really care for YouTube content creators' music... As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

Prior to my friend recommending me this album, I had never even heard of this girl, hence I had absolutely no expectations going into this. And yet somehow, my non-existent expectations were still slightly shattered. Let me explain though, because sonically, this ain't half bad. Emma actually has quite a nice singing voice, which is not to say that it's very distinctive, but she exhibits a spunky quality to her vocal delivery, which feels welcome given the lyrical themes throughout most of the album. Themes of relationships, social life issues, and exes, all with a hearty dosage of aggression. I honestly don't care much for the lyrics, but my main gripe with this album lies more with the core musical ideas.

I can honestly tell that Emma was putting some soul into this release, I truly do. The problem here is that a lot of the content seems very generic. Dirt starts off with one of the most cliché-sounding and obnoxious synth hooks that I can only describe as "electronic-muzak fluff,' which carries on throughout the track. Petty is also guilty of having a pretty irritating sound. The other songs still lack in creativity and flair, however. Some highlights for me, such as Villains Pt. 1 and Icarus, are only fun thanks to their catchy and pronounced beats, but otherwise, there's nothing overtly interesting about them.

One thing I want to mention is that, although I did compliment Emma's singing, there is one painful outlier here, and that's on the track Villains Pt. 2. Near the end, she tries to hit these wailing high notes, but they come off seemingly forced and awkward. It did make for some ironic comedic relief, though. I do applaud Emma for certainly trying, but this album is just not that compelling to listen to, save for a few mildly catchy tunes here and there. I can bet that this album would appeal to a lot of angsty teenage girls, however, so if that was Emma's intention, then well done.

D

Favorite Tracks: Villains Pt. 1, Icarus, Take Me Out

Least Favorite Track: Dirt