Album Review: beabadoobee – Fake It Flowers
Print Music Editor Bridie Adams reviews beabadoobee’s debut album.
beabadoobee’s debut album Fake It Flowers has been highly anticipated since at least her feature in Powfu’s ‘Death Bed’. ‘Death Bed’ stars beabadoobee’s altered vocals singing the now-famous lyrics “Don’t stay awake for too long / Don’t go to bed / I’ll make a cup of coffee for your head / I’ll get you up and going out of bed” behind Powfu’s emotional rap. After it went viral on TikTok and beyond, beabadoobee gained a fair amount of attention. Already being somewhat in the limelight after being a support act to The 1975 and Clairo on their tours, ‘Death Bed’ spiralled her to an international breakthrough. These were, of course, the perfect circumstances for her first album.
beabadoobee’s debut album Fake It Flowers has been highly anticipated since at least her feature in Powfu’s ‘Death Bed’.
The album starts out insanely strong with the lead single ‘Care’. To me, this is the best track on the album. It’s repetitive enough to be catchy without getting boring, heavy enough to raise the roof but soft enough to feel emotional, which is important as the album is packed with emotion. beabadoobee’s combination of figurative lyrics and dreamy vocals is a match made in heaven.
The album starts out insanely strong with the lead single ‘Care’.
While lots of people have picked up on the nineties influences present in the album, I’d also like to highlight the influence of present-day indie on beabadoobee’s music. We already know about her connection with The 1975, but it’s interesting to hear lyrics that are typical of moody, shoe gaze indie, especially in ‘Dye It Red’ where she sings “I’ve had to put up with your shit / When you’re not even that cute” with the kind of light humour we often get from Matty Healy.
Essentially, Fake It Flowers is a blend of fizzy, exciting pop and darker, brooding rock. Sometimes beabadoobee sounds slightly drowned out by the volume of the guitars. Whether you love or hate this probably depends on personal taste. For me, there are moments where I’d like the backing music to be ever-so-slightly dialled down, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. It works well, but it can feel overpowering at times, especially since she has such a soft, melodic voice. It sort of feels a shame as the lyrics are so meaningful, yet can feel drowned out, making them seem more simplistic than they really are. On the other hand, the juxtaposition of her light vocals with the depth of the rocky soundtrack is unique in a way that diverges from other bedroom pop artists.
This album definitely passes the vibe check. The melodies are pretty, the hooks are memorable and it serves as a fun throwback to the nineties while maintaining an attraction to the TikTok generation. Despite the instrumentation sometimes being a little too loud and powerful, beabadoobee is an incredibly talented up-and-coming artist. Her sound is addictive and invigorating. She already seems to have transitioned from her bedroom pop roots to a rebellious-sounding rockstar. She’s truly one of my favourite artists of the year – and why would I “Fake It”?
