After Marina Diamandis (Marina and the Diamonds) released her smash-hit pop album “Electra Heart” in 2013, the anticipation for her next release was overwhelming. It has been two years since Diamadis’ last album, but on March 16, 2015, she finally released “FROOT”.
“I have been waiting for ‘FROOT’ forever! Spotify released the song ‘Froot’, and I was jamming out to it and I could not wait for the rest,” says freshman Nicole Lawniczuk.
Diamandis’ previous album “Electra Heart” provoked positive reviews and sparked interest due to its catchy beats, tragic lyrics of lost loves and life as a teenage girl, and the theme of struggling with self-identity.
From the last album, I had the expectation of a punch of bubble gum pop and quick beats to come my way. However, I was rather surprised to find “FROOT” to be much slower and covered more mature topics, such as ignorance of society.
Thirty seconds into the first track “Happy,” I was worried that I would be bored since it was a very slow, melancholy tempo. However, Diamandis knows how to lure you back in, and by the chorus, I was enjoying myself.
The theme of struggling with oneself is still evident in Diamandis’ lyrics; however, she shows a sense of recovery from being brokenhearted “Electra Heart”, as well as a sense of defiance.
For example, in the song “Can’t pin me down”, Diamandis declares, “But you ain’t got my number/no you can’t pin me down.”
Diamandis also shows a growth in her writing and gives listeners not only a dancing beat, but messages about the world. For example, in my personal favorite “Savage”, she discusses real issues such as war and violence and how we are victims of it.
While “FROOT” surely has profound insight, it is a slower album and not exactly a “jam out” kind of album. For example, the tracks “Solitare” and “Immortal” are songs I would listen to if I just wanted to stay in my bed all day and eat ice cream, not blasting it on the way to school.
I really enjoyed the bubble gum pop that Diamandis gave in the last album, and while “FROOT” may showcase evolution as a singer/songwriter, I miss the quick beats and rhymes that would get stuck in my head.
“I listened to ‘FROOT’ and I thought it was very different from the previous album, much more emotional and heartfelt. I still liked it, but ‘Electra Heart’ still electrifies my heart,” says freshman Christina Tso.
Overall, I would give “FROOT” 7/10. I think that some tracks were just too slow for my taste and I could fall asleep to them. However, I think she really showcases her vocal skills and shows her growth as an artist with her change in style.
If you are recovering from a bad breakup, are into love songs, or are just an obsessive fan of Marina and the Diamonds, this is the album for you.
What do you think about Diamndis’ transition from power pop album “Electra Heart” to the slower, more emotional “FROOT”?