Lala Lala - “I Want The Door To Open” Album Review
Lala Lala’s beautiful sound and lyrical geniusness has returned in its latest album, but this time, there is more of a poppy twist to it.
Lala Lala is an underground, Chicago-based band that is based around lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Lillie West.
Lala Lala first emerged with self-released album “Sleepyhead.”
With help of a label, Hardly Art, Lala Lala’s second album “The Lamb” gave the artist praise on its songwriting ability and put the group on as an upcoming indie artist.
Now back with Hardly Art, Lala Lala released its newest album “I Want The Door To Open.”
Unlike the previous albums, it had more of a pop sound to the album. It managed to keep its Lo-fi and calmer tones to it but at the same time, it had a catchier sound to it.
The sound of the album can easily let one get lost in its sweet mellows.
Filled with lyrics of glimpsing into the future, and what she wants to become, is a fascinating topic to be written about. Especially since the group’s previous work tended to focus on them in the moment.
In the first song, “Lava,” perfectly encompasses the setting-up-the-future element with lines that even say the audience is going to get “glimpses in the future.”
There are even underlying tones of needing to work on themselves as shown in songs “Color of the Pool” and “Photo Photo,” where they claim the only way to achieve a plausible future for themselves is that they must work on themselves to get there.
In songs of “Castle Life” or “Utopia Planet” she touches on living in a fantasy and how that can hold her back, but that fantasy is holding her back because instead of going into the future she would rather just know it. She needs to know it or she’ll stay in a fantasy land.
At the same time, that fantasy of the future motivates her to move forward. It has a weird balance that some can relate too while others will be confused by.
In other songs like “Straight and Narrow” and “Bliss Now” talks about darker futures that can turn out, like how she could commit suicide to “cut pieces away from the past” or how cruel the world can be on a person and their dreams.
“Beautiful Direction” is a perfect summary of all the pathways one can take in their life. There are so many options and she wants to explore all the “Beautiful Directions.”
“Plates” and “Utopia Planet” have guest singers and sort of deal with what it's like to be god, and to shape the world around them. It represents how they or an individual is technically a god on Earth and each one shapes the world around them.
The final part of the album, “GB,” is just an old lady talking about how she used to be able to sing but not anymore. It shows how eventually they’ll lose their singing ability that they will reach the end, just like how it is the end moment of the album.
This album is a lyrical masterpiece riddled with deeper meaning and continues to hold the theme of the future throughout it.
The tone of it feels as if one is on a different plain of existence. It definitely gives off energy for one to think about their future and be calm.
The issue is a lot of the songs of the track sound very similar and the singer’s voice is basically the same throughout so it is really good when there are guest singers to compliment the lead vocalist.
The one thing that makes this one stick out compared to their last ones, besides dealing with the future, is that even though it still has it more chill vibes. It is also catchier in a pop way.
The tune is just brighter even though it has a calmer energy to it.
Overall, this is a lyrical masterpiece that dives into the future excellently and its sound is very calming for anyone who needs to think and listen to pleasant music.
Reviewer's Favorite Track: “Plates”
Reviewer's Least Favorite: “GB”
Ethan Hetrick is a first-year communications major. To contact him, email eth5186@psu.edu.
