The Weekly Coos

When I began listening to Chappell Roan’s debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, the vibes were strong from the writing and the poppy textures. However, as I kept it on loop, it became more glaring that when Roan goes for more pop complexions, the output is more emphatic; it’s the patented Dan Nigro Pop-Punk aesthetic without much depth that does little instrumentally, like “Feminominom” and “My Kink is Karma.” But when she delivers beautiful ballads with “Coffee” and “Casual” or the occasional power-pop jam like “HOT TO GO!” It isn’t just the pop-punk that flounders; some pop beats don’t carry much intrigue, opting for weaker melodic and harmonic courses instead of feeling personable depth. But as fluid and fun as The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess can be, the moments that stand out, stand out, and the others fade into the background despite some quality writing. Roan may have found herself, but she hasn’t so much musically; there is enough to recommend because the songwriting can be deliriously fun; it’s just the production doesn’t match it the same, and sometimes you get left picking it apart to see if you like said songs.

As expressed by Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess reflects her journey, specifically from moving from a smaller, tight-knit conservative home and community to the open doors of New York City. It’s a little vague, as the music digs through different themes under third-person pretenses. It mixes personal with creative outlooks, with the writing reflecting that. Roan flows around and weaves these fun and uncomplicated power pop and standard pop sonic overtures to keep the album as a slight rollercoaster ride full of emotions, like when it hits you with the beautiful Country-Pop ballad “Picture You.” On it, Roan reflects on her current relationship and whether or not she feels she could see it being long-term, and comes after a clean transition from the slight power-rock like “My Kink is Karma.” It balances the content and has a plunging impact toward relativity and understanding, especially within her journey and her reflections on life – plus, without some okay instrumentations, there is only so much Roan can offer outside of quality vocal performances and writing. 

“Pink Pony Club” speaks to these dreams of more freedom and color, thinking of this drag club in California to become a dancer and feel one with her community. “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” plays coy and fun with the notion that men aren’t always the best dressed or the effort is not all there. Chappell Roan sings about more than just looks, digging into the aspects of effort and the indifference men carry, bolstering her sense of love for women. “Coffee” talks about closure, using a cafe as a setting to make the meeting feel more casual, but the emotions continue to run deep. It’s a tug-and-pull story where Roan fights her ex’s temptations to go anywhere else, which she feels could lead to a regrettable moment back at his place. If there is anything to string along as an inherent positive from The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, it is the writing. Roan gets assistance in crafting, like how Annikka Barrett brings some lightness to “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl.”

Though Chappell Roan has these co-writers who help weave some beautiful pop moments, it doesn’t all have the best delivery. As noted above, Roan has a slew of cowriters, with Dan Nigro being an effervescent presence on most of them, but one moment that shines above all the songs on the album is “Kaleidoscope;” Roan wrote the song all by herself; others have a personal connection to her, but the co-writers work around elevating elements within the phrasing or performances, giving us some fun and singable hooks, whereas “Kaleidoscope” focuses on Roan’s heart and how it speaks instead of the artistic hive collaborating with your emotions. The co-writers help Roan adjust the writing to have more of an artistic purview, allowing her to work around third-person narratives that relate to her without feeling too distant from her true self, like the previously mentioned “Coffee.” However, it is more potent when Roan works around these slower, sometimes ballad-like constructs like “Casual” or “Coffee” or the more subdued power-pop rock songs like “Naked In Manhattan.” Each tackles unique structural perspectives to relay its themes, like how “Casual” speaks on how casual relationships are hard to keep, such as emotions aren’t all controllable.

Dan Nigro does most of the production, but little ticks the nerve of intrigue. Many are serviceable pop songs that I don’t predominately dislike, but it’s a debut, and as rocky as it is, it is a good one. There is some stuff to love and some to not, but what you end up leaving with is something fun and explorative, and it has this pop fan excited to see what Chappell Roan does in the future. Her writing will grow, and her pop-dance-like flair will find a mold that doesn’t tread into familiar territory like some of the powerpop songs here.