New Music Thing: Melodrama

Lorde - for anyone that hasn't listened to any popular music in the last decade, please note that the "e" is silent - has returned with some highly self-aware, coming-of-age, post-break-up bangers. Instead of pulling a Katy Perry and using her music to announce her wokeness and take on the world's major issues, Lorde focused on exploring the titular melodrama that's inherent to becoming an adult and going through a lot of major life changes. The production is consistently great and Lorde's witty lyrics lend the album a distinct sense of personality (an aside about the back of the Louvre is particularly memorable). Sober II (Melodrama) is my personal highlight for having both an incredible beat drop halfway through and what's my now my favorite use of the word "woah" in a song.