Breaking away for her band, The Fiery Furnaces, Eleanor Friedberger returns to the solo scene with her sophomore album Personal Record. The tracks are blatantly obvious, much like the title, and focuses heavily on diary-like lyrics with very direct meanings and details. Production-wise, there isn’t anything special or inspiring as most songs mirror mild-mannered rock from the 60s, complete with simple melodies that are light and airy. But Friedberger’s voice, much like her clever lyrics, is one of a kind: precise, sincere and deep.
Friedberger opens the album by singing, “I don’t want to bother you, but there’s something to say that I want you to hear” in “I Don’t Want To Bother You,” which sets the classic rock vibe for the whole album and shows the first chapter of the story Friedberger is about to tell. “When I Knew” is like a well-written short story with visuals; it’s a story about a girl who has a sudden realization that says, “She was wearing overalls so I sang ‘Come on Eileen’”.
The interesting thing about Personal Record is it’s bipolar nature. It’s like a long vacation with each day being very different from the next. It’s apparent with the contrasting tones and lyrics presented in “I’ll Never Be Happy Again,” a song with simple harmonies and a dreary melody, and “Tomorrow Tomorrow,” which is much happier.
Speaking of vacations, “Stare At The Sun” would be the perfect song to play while road tripping to the beach, especially with the cool bass line.
“My Own World” happens to be the most personal track on the album as Friedberger sings about moving through life mundanely. She even goes to explain what she does in her “own world”: cutting coupons, getting on the treadmill, checking the scores and more boring day-to-day chores that you’d never think you would hear in a song. But it works.
The most intricate song is “You’ll Never Know Me.” With layers of ambient noises, guitars, electronic drum beats and echoed vocals, Friedberger speaks directly to the people who she won’t let in as if she is reading a story. She continues this honest storytelling in “I Am the Past,” where she sings, “I’m your first time. I’m the best. I’m the worst you were ever obsessed. I’m the ghost of old girlfriends.” She isn’t angry. She is just simply stating what she means to a past lover with raw lyrics and a saxophone solo.
The album ends with “Singing Time,” a gut-wrenching ballad with captivating sounds and harmonies matched with brilliant lyrics about a guy who will never care about you.
Personal Record was a way for Friedberger to look at herself and past lovers and tell everyone about anything with straightforward lyrics that could be read like fiction. The sounds are simple and never distract from the story being told.
You can stream the album below.