I’m at the airport in Lviv, at a cafe with a couple of macaroons and an hour and a half until my flight. The cafe is playing Michael Buble as it IS essentially Ukrainian Christmas, so I may as well listen to Poppy’s new album, I Disagree…
In only a few seconds my expectations have been completely blown out of the water. Women’s anger has always been most palpable in the form of music, consider Alanis Morisette, for example, and damn Poppy has more than enough anger to share. Finally hearing some screaming, yelling and shit-talking from Poppy is bizarrely empowering. Shes really fucking angry, and she’s out for revenge. Just listening to ‘BLOODMONEY’ whilst writing this has given me an odd zest and a new vengeful view on the world… and I’m into it.
Poppy throws incredible lines into the middle of verses as if they don’t matter because her lyrical ability is just that stong. Consider- “Sorry for what I’ve become, because I’ve become someone” from ‘Anything Like Me’, said in a second and passed over just as fast as it started. Scathing lyrics continue in ‘I Disagree’, which reads like a hate-filled letter against Titanic and, yo, I’m rooting for her. Fuck Titanic. Out your abusers, dump them, thrive.
Keeping what I’ve said so far in mind, the album is a little hit or miss. ‘Fill The Crown’ seem to miss its mark, it’s lyrics not landing well with me. And while the slower songs are okay, the album seems to stumble around track five, before slowly picking up a few songs later. Poppy’s never had a strong voice, but I guess the weird discordant nature of heavy backing and a soft voice is what makes Poppy… well… Poppy. She’s is musical Whiplash but that’s her essence, sweet with a sharp bite.
If only the album ended with the slower songs, the energy of the album could riot through, rather than an odd stagnant break for breath in the middle. In fact, just get rid of tracks 5 and 6 altogether. Other than that… I Disagree may have already landed on my top 10 of the year, maybe preemptively, but I’m blown away with how far Poppy has come since Bubblebath.
Godspeed to the radio star!
Rating: ★★★★☆
I Disagree is released today, January 10th via Sumerian Records and is available to purchase and stream now.
