SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LUCY DACUS – FOREVER IS A FEELING

LUCY DACUS
FOREVER IS A FEELING
GEFFEN RECORDS

Forever Is A Feeling is the first solo album from Lucy Dacus since boygenius, comprised of Dacus, Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers, released The Record, one of the best albums of the decade. Unfortunately, Forever Is A Feeling is quite underwhelming.

Forever Is A Feeling lacks the devastating lyricism and emotional gut punch of Dacus’ previous records and boygenius’ The Record. However, her storytelling continues to be beautifully cathartic and extremely intimate. In the happily upbeat chamber pop tune “Ankles”, Dacus is as honest as she’s ever been, touching on themes of desire, intimacy, and love. Alternatively, the raw vulnerability of “For Keeps” is touching, even though it is not quite the tear-jerker one might have expected. “Most Wanted Man” offers a lovely little snapshot into the life of Baker, who also sings on the track, and Dacus, whom she recently confirmed to be in a relationship with. This heartwarming song will undoubtedly become a fan favourite.

Instrumentally, Forever Is A Feeling is solid. “Talk” sees her take a 90’s alt-rock approach. Heavily fuzzed-out guitars, dark and moody atmosphere, and aggressive drumming perfectly complement her voice. “Lost Time” slowly builds to an explosively euphoric indie rock climax. The leadup to this exhilarating outburst of sound is just as good. The southern rocker, “Most Wanted Man”, has some excellent electric guitar riffs and just the right amount of twang. Lastly, the spellbindingly pretty atmosphere, exuberantly bright keys, comforting melody, and stunning vocal work from all three boygenius members make “Forever Is A Feeling” a dynamite track.

Even though there is lots to like about Forever Is A Feeling, some things do not hit the mark. Hozier appears in “Bullseye”, and although the vocal harmonies between Dacus and Hozier are fantastic, the track is never as magnetic or powerful as it should have been. On the other hand, “Big Deal” starts off incredibly strong but loses momentum down the stretch. It ends up being average when it should have been excellent. Alternatively, the orchestral string elements of the intro “Calliope Prelude” sound gorgeous, but there is nothing really noteworthy about this instrumental. In addition, although lyrically, it is far from Dacus’ best work, “Best Guess” is infectiously sweet. On this track, the hooks and chorus do the heavy lifting.

Overall, Lucy Dacus’ Forever Is A Feeling is quite a disappointment. It has some terrific songs but does not hit the same as her previous releases or boygenius’ The Record.

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