Album review: WILLOW – lately I feel EVERYTHING

Despite being the latest in a host of newcomers to team up with blink-182’s Travis Barker, it’s to her credit that WILLOW isn’t content with simply rehashing the pop-punk sound which shaped her youth. Sure, there are elements of ’00s emo and pop-punk on lately I feel EVERYTHING, but the core sound WILLOW conjures up is something more in line with an indie-meets-punk take on things. It’s spiky, mature and not lacking in substance, which makes for a consistently strong and rewarding record.

Opener t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l sets out WILLOW’s stall early on and is characterised by a delightful zero-fucks-given indie-punk rumble, as well as an abundance of attitude that stretches throughout. There’s more angst to be found on the brief skit FUCK You, where she gleefully declares, ‘Fuck you for fucking up my heart,’ while the festival-ready burst of pop-rock energy that is G R O W (featuring Avril Lavigne) makes for a fun and fiery inclusion.

lately I feel EVERYTHING demonstrates that there’s more than one string to WILLOW’S bow, with naïve and Come Home presenting a real maturity to her songwriting. The slower tempo of the former allows its creator’s substantial vocal range to shine, while Come Home pairs a more reigned-in sound with some biting riffs and a dark ambiance. Shouty album closer ¡BREAKOUT!, meanwhile, kicks things up a gear once more for a feisty, punk-driven conclusion that’s a joy to behold.

Calm and collected when it needs to be but by no means lacking in heart and passion, this album is a fine collection of songs by an artist intent on forging her own path. It feels like there’s no stopping WILLOW’s rise.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Paramore, Maggie Lindemann, Japandroids

Lately I Feel EVERYTHING is released on July 16 through MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation via Polydor.

READ THIS: WILLOW’s pop-punk revolution: “I’m in love with the weirdos and the people who don’t conform to conventional societal norms”