Maggie Rogers - Heard It In A Past Life (Album Review)
Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Written by Huw Baines
Across its 45 minute running time, Maggie Rogers’ debut LP initially appears to be a success. It is immaculate—from her vocal performances through to her tasteful arrangement of modern pop tropes—and wears the hype of an early Pharrell endorsement with ease. But time reveals that to be a surface reflection.
Great pop songs eventually bleed over the lines; their emotions and melodies slipping beyond their confines to connect with people. Rogers’ writing doesn’t necessarily boast that quality yet. For all its grace and poise, ‘Heard It In A Past Life’ is close to being hermetically sealed.
Largely produced alongside pop heavyweight Greg Kurstin, the record does have moments of clarity that show the sort of music Rogers should be capable of turning in a little further along the line.
Alaska, the viral smash that made her name, remains quietly compelling but is outshone by the likes of the opener, Give a Little, and the rolling alt-R&B of Say It.
You can hear Lorde wrapping her voice around the cascading syllables of Give a Little’s bridge and the sisters Haim taking up the baton for the chorus, and the smart money is on Rogers replicating their success without (yet) ascending to their creative highs.
Another highlight, Fallingwater, which was written and produced alongside Rostam Batmanglij, suggests a future avenue that Rogers might find herself wandering along. Its percussion has a dream-pop squelch; its melody and ringing piano chords the punch of Lykke Li’s work. It feels open-ended and ambitious.
The rest of the album is too mid-paced, too pleasant. Rather than Fallingwater, ‘Heard It In A Past Life’ is best characterised by its ballads—the maudlin Past Life and advert-ready Light On. They do precisely what they set out to do with precision, but mask some depths in Rogers’ work that will perhaps be revealed in time.
Maggie Rogers Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu February 14 2019 - DUBLIN Academy
Fri February 15 2019 - DUBLIN Academy
Sun February 17 2019 - GLASGOW St Lukes
Mon February 18 2019 - MANCHESTER O2 Ritz
Tue February 19 2019 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
