A critical assessment of the merits of a subject, such as art, film, music, television, food and literature. Reviews are based on the writer鈥檚 informed/expert opinion.
Blondshell alt-rock finds new nuance on ‘If You Asked for a Picture’
Sabrina Teitelbaum, who records under the band name Blondshell, is a longtime student of alt-rock. She knows a thing or two about all the ways in which a cutting lyric and thunderous guitar can rejuvenate the soul and soundtrack rage. On her sophomore album, 鈥淚f You Asked for a Picture,鈥 named after Mary Oliver鈥檚 1986 poem 鈥淒ogfish,鈥 she builds from the success of her earlier work 鈥 2023鈥檚 self-titled debut and its haunting single 鈥淪alad.鈥
Sabrina Teitelbaum, who records under the band name Blondshell, is a longtime student of alt-rock. She knows a thing or two about all the ways in which a cutting lyric and thunderous guitar can rejuvenate the soul and soundtrack rage. On her sophomore album, 鈥淚f You Asked for a Picture,鈥 named after Mary Oliver鈥檚 1986 poem 鈥淒ogfish,鈥 she builds from the success of her earlier work 鈥 2023鈥檚 self-titled debut and its haunting single 鈥淪alad.鈥
Over the course of 12 tracks, much like on her first album, Blondshell reckons with a woman鈥檚 role in her various relationships, personally and societally. Those messages 鈥 gritty, real, existential and fluid as they are 鈥 arrive atop visceral instrumentation, hearty guitars and punchy percussion.
鈥淥h well you’re not gonna save him,鈥 she reminds listeners in 鈥淎rms.鈥
Much of 鈥淚f You Asked for a Picture鈥 sits at the intersection of and like that of 鈥淓vent of a Fire.鈥 On the acoustic fake-out 鈥淭humbtack,鈥 instrumentation builds slow and remains restrained. 鈥淢an鈥 is muscular, with its soaring distortion and layered production.
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On 鈥淚f You Asked for a Picture,鈥 relationships are nuanced, awkward and honest 鈥 her flawed and frustrated characters show how easy it is to succumb to the whims of someone who doesn鈥檛 have your best interest in mind, to become someone else when you don鈥檛 know who you are.
That鈥檚 clear on 鈥淐hange,鈥 where she sings, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not my fault it鈥檚 who I am / When I feel bad I bring it back and leave it all at your door.鈥 And the anxious complications compound: 鈥淎 parting gift / Kiss me back / I鈥檓 sorry for changing.鈥
If there is a main weakness in 鈥淚f You asked for a Picture,鈥 it is that a number of the tracks bleed together sonically near the record鈥檚 end, making it hard to distinguish a three-song run: 鈥淭oy鈥 to 鈥淢an.鈥 Fans will likely label it stylistic consistency rather than tiresome repetition.
That said, there鈥檚 a lot to love here. 鈥淭&A,鈥 鈥淢odel Rockets鈥 and the palm-muted power chords of 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Fair鈥 warrant repeat listens.
"T&A" by Blondshell, from the new album 'If You Asked For A Picture' out May 2nd on Partisan Records.
鈥淲hy don鈥檛 the good ones love me?鈥 Blondshell asks on 鈥淭&A,鈥 with its dreamy guitar tone 鈥淲atching him fall / Watching him go right in front of me.鈥
The swaying mellotron of 鈥淢odel Rockets鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 a bad bad girl / Bad bad girl,鈥 she adds to the closer. 鈥淟ife may have been happening elsewhere / And I don鈥檛 know what I want anymore.鈥
It might serve as a mission statement for the album 鈥 where identity and desire are malleable, influenced by relationships and the evolving nature of the world, made more complicated by simply being a woman in it.
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