Crises loom across singer-songwriter third album, 鈥淒aughter from Hell,鈥� out Friday.
A knife 鈥� stabbed in the heart or stuck in her side 鈥� appears as a repeated motif. 鈥淗ell鈥� takes on different forms; it’s an insult thrown in 鈥淪ober鈥� and a place she breaks away from in the title track. The project finds Abrams in a darker place than her previous two records. But by employing a broader array of instruments and production styles, the resulting 16 tracks live up to the bigger arenas she now fills, even if many of the songs feel like a return to her introspective form.
Electric guitar opens the title track, where Abrams’ layered voice longs for the traits of her mother: 鈥淎nd I want your patience / I want your grace / I want your sugar,鈥� she sings. a collaborator on Abrams’ previous projects, cowrites and produces across the album. Here, his touch is felt in the guitar riffs that build toward the song’s midpoint, and the shaker and tambourine that fill them out.
The pair flex across the tracks; Abrams’ poetic language only sometimes tripping on itself. On the acoustic guitar and piano-set ballad 鈥淒eath Wish,鈥� she reflects on a fractured relationship. 鈥淗ow long will you give me?鈥� she pleads before the pace picks up. “‘Til you twist the knife with a smile while you kill me?鈥�
鈥淭he Knife,鈥� a highlight, immediately follows as Abrams examines her own affinity for recklessness. Her voice, occasionally lowered to a bedroom-pop whisper (fans of her early work will be drawn to the lilting 鈥淕ood Reason鈥� and the sweet and synthy 鈥淎fflictions鈥�), has strengthened since her restrained debut, 2023’s As the track builds 鈥� starting as a stripped back piano ballad, before turning itself over to drums, electric guitar and a 21-piece orchestra 鈥� so does her confidence. The influence of is felt in that second-half surge.
The anxious 鈥淟ook at My Life鈥� (co-produced by Dan Nigro) carries some of the same fast-paced energy of her .鈥� This time the focus is on her mental health, and the disassociation required of her only-growing fame, rather than the more universal thrill of a new crush.
鈥淢ini Bar,鈥� written with friend and 鈥淪ue Me鈥� hitmaker Audrey Hobert, offers some levity, both with its buoyant sound and cheeky lyrics. Backing vocals from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon add dimension to a few tracks, including 鈥淏roke My Heart,鈥� while a feature from Marcus Mumford fills out 鈥淲hat if it’s right?鈥� Abrams’ boyfriend, cowrites 鈥淚maginary Friend.鈥�
Lyrically, the beautiful 鈥淗umming鈥� is the album’s most ambitious. Abrams is confronted with the heavy realities of the world that’s raising her. 鈥淒o we stay numb? / But you can鈥檛 when you鈥檝e seen / How they all get off on our grieving,鈥� she sings, her words chosen carefully. As they always have been.
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鈥淒aughter from Hell鈥� by Gracie Abrams
Four stars out of five.
On Repeat: 鈥淭he Knife,鈥� 鈥淢en Like You,鈥� 鈥淗umming鈥�
Skip it: 鈥淪ober鈥�
For fans of: Ballads, rainy afternoons
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