SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BRITTANY HOWARD – WHAT NOW

BRITTANY HOWARD
WHAT NOW
ISLAND RECORDS

Recently, Brittany Howard released her latest album, What Now. This follows a nearly five-year wait since her last and debut album, Jaime. What Now is an album that mostly excels in many areas an album can excel in, with only a few major issues holding it back from being a true masterpiece.

What Now starts with the majestic and beautiful “Earth Sign”, which discusses finding love, which has some powerful vocals, followed by amazing production and instruments. As the track goes on, it seems to unleash more, capturing the feeling of longing for love in such a unique way. This is not to diminish the importance of the songwriting, which contributes to the vocals carrying such a significant weight. The entire LP embodies this level of skill and infuses it with thoughts of love and existence, making it truly unique and remarkable. This is not even to mention a core area of this album. Variety. Every track here is filled with so many different styles and sounds, which only makes it more impressive considering this is only her second LP.

If I had to describe this What Now’s beauty, it would be the tranquility and melancholy felt throughout so many songs. Despite all of this album’s innovative and genius production and mesmerising lyrics, those feelings remain the most prominent element of anything here. The track “What Now”, which explores love and various aspects of it, serves as a prime example. The production emphasises the catchiness and uniqueness of the sounds, making it one of the most catchy and unique on not just the album but this year as well. Furthermore, it seamlessly integrates with the lyrics. The vocals, another highlight, are so powerful that the pain and love they convey are truly spellbinding. The lyrics, reflecting a sense of melancholy and longing for love, are what keep it so captivating.

What Now is one of the most standout works of the year. This album is a beacon of self-love and living life. The vocals and production give it their all at almost every turn, and the songwriting and variety in every aspect of this album are truly commendable. If there was anything holding it back, it would be the need for a longer runtime on many tracks that feel too short, as well as a few other things. Some tracks in this album feel rushed in their production, and by the end, the album’s extreme variety becomes overwhelming, leading to a loss of focus. Despite this, the album is generally quite impressive in terms of how it tries and mostly succeeds at so much.

Overall, What Now shows off a level of variety and melancholy that makes it a very compelling work.

Artist Links