On April 5, 24-year old singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine released her third studio album: “Older.” On the record, McAlpine beautifully reflects on the past four years of her career, exploring grief, growth, and vulnerability.
McAlpine announced on Feb. 1 the lead single and title track of the album, “Older”, to be released on Feb. 13. The song was met with mixed reviews, with some applauding the simplicity and cohesiveness of the song, and some a bit disappointed or confused because it didn’t sound like her usual visceral, unapologetic tune with complex production elements that may be found off of her sophomore album, “five seconds flat.”
Some tracks on the new album are more playful and jazzy, such as “Come Down Soon” and “All Falls Down,” while others lean toward a somber and stripped-down sound, such as “Staying,” “Like It Tends to Do,” and “Better Than This.” The entire album flows seamlessly from song to song with lyrics that cut deep throughout.
The standouts off the album include “Come Down Soon,” “Staying,” “Broken Glass,” “I Guess,” and “Better Than This.” “Come Down Soon” is one of the two songs on the record that have upbeat instrumentals over her raw and gut-punching lyrics, which McAlpine executes beautifully.
In “Staying,” McAlpine settles on the idea that everything will turn out okay, even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time. With a peaceful tune and resigned tone, she alludes to her current relationship with lyrics like “What happens when you love me dry?/I give myself to help you get by” and how she’s still healing from the past with lyrics like “Maybe I would be okay/If I let this go forever/Send it into space and watch the planets turn.”
Themes of the fear of growing older and the uncontrollable passing of time inspired McAlpine to create this album. The idea of mortality has always shaped McAlpine as a writer, especially with the passing of her father on March 13, 2020. In line with the anniversary of his passing, track 13 on each of her albums is about him. On her first album, “Headstones and Land Mines”, on her second album, “five seconds flat”(2022), “chemtrails”, and on her third, “March”.
Overall, the record is excellent. It is an ode to McAlpine’s growth as an artist and her dealing with loss and growth.
