HIT ME HARD AND SOFT – Billie Eilish
Overall:
4.2/5
Production:
4.2/5
Lyrics:
4.5/5
Musicality:
3.9/5
Vocals:
4.3/5
Billie Eilish dropped her newest project, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, on May 17, 2024. This album was not led by singles and, in fact, was not super publicly promoted outside of hearing some samples at Coachella, a Fortnite trailer, and in a Netflix promo. Billie opted for two bespoke listening events in Brooklyn and Inglewood to preview the entire album to lucky fans. Billie has a track record for being the artist to put out the dark, moody albums and this project feels like a deviation from the ‘norm’ that we’re used to.
Getting into the music, it’s no surprise this album is filled with beautiful lyrics and catchy melodies; Billie is known for creating music that’s so stunningly memorable. The ebb and flow of moods within the album is incredible. While I feel like I could do a track-by-track analysis, I’ll keep it brief for the sake of the internet. My absolute top track off this album is ‘BIRDS OF A FEATHER’. This song is incredible and the lyrics dig deep. ‘LUNCH’ is another track that just hits. Billie commented that this project “is the most ‘me’ thing I’ve ever made” which warms my heart to hear. I think this is huge because you’re hearing more depth in these lyrics. The title does a great job at enveloping the feeling after listening to the album. I feel like we got the best blend of 2019’s ‘WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?’ and 2021’s ‘Happier Than Ever’.
I’ll be so intrigued to see how this performs when up for awards, given she already has 9 Grammys under her belt alongside countless other awards.
Alex’s Top 5 Songs (In no particular order):
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
THE DINER
LUNCH
L’AMOUR DE MA VIE
THE GREATEST
Check out the album now on Apple Music or Spotify and let me know what your top songs are!