The Weekly Coos

It’s come as no surprise that even with little push and promotion via singles Billie Eilish would come with another banger—coming much after hearing Eilish go back to electro-pop with tinges of goth-pop and synth-pop as opposed to more monochromatic ballads that offers little heft beyond the vocals. Her latest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, is a deeper exploration of Eilish’s person, specifically as she accepts these newfound feelings, whether it’s the love of another woman or sensing how different relationship complexions are; she does so via some quality production and the confident leading force that is Billie Eilish. In the album, Eilish looks further into herself, offering a wonderful perspective in the two-parter, “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE,” where Eilish garners this slight feeling that her ex was using her for clout, giving us a different read on the dynamics based upon status. It’s as refreshing as any Billie Eilish album, but it still feels there are some caps, like the ballads, in which the acoustics carry little weight to push it further instead of being different like the “Billie Bossa Nova” from her last album. It’s another solid entry that keeps me realizing why she is so revered.

Hit Me Hard and Soft focuses more on adult-oriented themes relative to Eilish’s maturity and reflections, specifically self-understanding of her status while expressing the naivety within maturity as you accept who you are. This is her transition where hearing these explorations of sexuality, body image, that awareness of her status and the relationships attached to, like with herself, without relenting to conformity as a writer. “Skinny” opens the door for it to blossom an idea of growth through the themes getting reflected—a slight companion piece to “What Was I Made For?” off Barbie, where the existential dread gets layers with personal reflections of heavy thoughts, like falling in love, body image, and acting one’s age, like a proper intro telling us what we’ll hear thematically. After “Skinny,” Billie Eilish comes with many wonderful and bold pieces that hit high on the stuff she does best. In sound, it’s a step back to her sound from When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?; however, the sound tries to be different with most songs, and much of that is a testament to the combined synergy between her and Finneas O’Connell, her brother.

The boldness of Hit Me Hard and Soft hits you after “Skinny” with the captivatingly gripping and electro-goth pop-punk banger in “Lunch,” where that boldness is reached by Billie Eilish’s writing, as she compares lesbian sex to eating lunch—the chorus pushes that further as she sings “I could eat that girl for lunch/Yeah, she dances on my tongue/Tastes like she might be the one/And I could never get enough,” expressing so much and showcasing a sense of wonder and happiness through it. What Eilish weaves through “Lunch” and more, are these unique intangibles, where the writing doesn’t always have to be Merriam Dictionary with every line, but her storytelling talent continues to be a domineering force, even when there are small moments that don’t land. I love that Eilish is tackling these emotions and ideas with fluidity while staying interesting with the melodies and harmonies. Some standouts include “Chichiro,” “La Amour De Ma Vie,” “Bittersuite,” and the opening track, where the textures in Eilish’s voice shine beneath the dark tones of neon lights. She’s front and center and is continuously showing how unafraid she is at sometimes shifting from a comfort zone.

Though Billie Eilish doesn’t confine herself to length, the album has moments that can feel slow, like the last minute of “Wildflower.” That’s one of its issues alongside some apathetic production. The pacing is off, as it feels longer than it is, and it’s short comparatively. Much of it concerns the production and a slight faint transition before hitting you with an outro. The production isn’t as consistent as the creativity in Eilish’s writing, especially as it can be tepid depending on the construction or approach to the sound, like the acoustics on “The Greatest,” where opting for more a thinly layered push, the moments it wants to go emphatic with her vocals, the intensity doesn’t match, and you’re left with emptiness as it could have been something more to the tune of “Skinny” where it matches what the vocals want to project, specifically through a minimalistic lens. “The Diner” and “Blue” are solid, but they don’t feel like they are trying to push the needle with the gloomy synth notes. The same goes for “Lunch” but it has so many fantastic intangibles it becomes more of a nitpick as it excels everywhere else. In a way, she plays it a little safe, even when it isn’t bad, but when you compare it to the production mixing to that of “Bittersuite” or “Birds of A Feather,” you can tell the difference.

There is no denying this new album by Billie Eilish is fantastic. It has the merits of a memorable piece of art that implores you to get on the floor and groove to some emotionally potent lyrics and melodies. But when music becomes an expression of yourself, you can’t fight this weird contrast of vibey, dancing music, over brooding and meticulously bleak lyrics. However, Eilish like so many others has mastered a proper equilibrium and that’s what keeps the album at such a high level.