salt circle
pretending to be a music critic for a day
while i may not know anything beyond the anecdotal in regards to music, i wanted to write something about this album. i haven’t seen anyone else genuinly go into detail on the songs, and i think this deserves that level of analysis and recognition.
perhaps some of her most introspective and expansive lyrics to date, salt circle explores themes of childhood, restrospection and the rapid passing of time. as per usual,
’s writing is a striking, personal anecdotes and metaphors managing to feel deeply personal.sarah tudzin (of the illuminati hotties) produced the album, her style blending seamlessly with the soft melodies and poetic lyrics of the record. cohessive yet distinguishable, the percussion and guitars are joined by synths, bass, and harmonies.
doing fine
a depiction of depression which starkly contrasts the romanitcized “sad girl”archetype, eliza replaces the cultural imagining of a fragile, crying girl in her room, with a far more grounded reality. it evokes a pit in your stomach, everything is going fine, i’m getting better, but it never feels right. this all culmonates in the carnal scream released at the bridge. it punches you in the gut, it’s a catharsis difficult to put into words.
best lyric:
Come on, face it, you're not special in your sadness
And that face is pissing me off
pulp
this might be my favorite song of eliza’s entire discography. the chorus is perfect, the lyrics are just poetic enough without coming off pretentious, the production is simple and effective. although musically, a relitivly upbeat track, at it’s core, pulp is about the passage of time, slipping away until all we can feel is drowsy emptiness. clinging onto every moment, until it passes, and you realize you will never be able to recreate it in exactly the same way.
best lyric:
I don't think I understand time as a line
I wasn't meant to live it like this I guess
And I don't know how you people do it
See it all without the urge to fall right through it
playhouse
the musical production of “playhouse” is staggering. falling somewhere between jazz and lofi, it’s a song that makes you want to close your eyes and dance in the rain at noon, even though people might look out a window, they won’t. it has the same energy as a song by the cocteau twins, the actual lyrics aren’t so important. for lack of a better adjective, it’s vibey.
best lyric:
I hang out at your house with the tennis court
I eat the fancy dinners with the tiny fork
You have a kind of playfulness that I adore
You’ve never really had to grow up before
salt circle
after a first listen i understood why this was the title track. the beachy production and nostalgic feel encapsulate the album as a whole and mclamb as an artist. the guitar above what sounds like cajón drum is enhanced by some of my favorite lyrics of the entire album, it is stripped back, easy to listen to, in the best way. although i have no judgment of the chorus, the verses are by far the stand-out of this track, which are followed by a lena grove-esk bridge.
best lyric:
Trading braiding hair in your bedroom
I’ll salt circle your brain if I have to
It doesn’t feel quite right to call you a friend
When we take on new bodies I will scour the earth to find you again
older
older feels like an ode to a stolen childhood. stripped back instrumentals add to the intensely personal nature of the song, it’s largely acoustic guitar, soft harmonies contributing to the overall haunting aura of the track. filled with reflections on a past version of your person-hood that you never quite let go of, it’s essence is that of forgiveness.
the chorus of this is one of my favorites lyrically,
I can’t ever make it up to you
But I can always make a space for you
Why don’t you lay here
Head on my shoulder
You’re thе only reason I could ever gеt older
this is one those songs where every time you hear it you envision a music video for it, one filled with blanket forts and colorful chistmas lights with burned out LED’s every few bulbs and nostalgic cinematography. it’s so peaceful, the image of a young eliza with her head on the shoulder of present one reaches out and hugs your legs, a subtly portrayed as you listen to the words being spoken.
best lyric:
I am there all the time
And time is a slippery disc
And memory, is all that’s mine
from instrumentals to lyrics, this album fucking resonates. every song feels both intensely personal to eliza, yet not so much that it isolates the listener. “salt circle” feels like a collection of poinent reflections being expressed by someone who is finally able find the right words.