Album Review: Halsey — ‘BADLANDS’

Newcomer Halsey released her first LP BADLANDS on August 28th.

This full-length debut is sure to garner serious attention for the YouTube and SoundCloud-born musician.

1. Castle — 9/10

This opener has great lyrics, a dark beat, and an awesome choral effect used before the chorus. “Castle” seems to describe Halsey’s ascent to fame and the struggles of stardom as she heads “straight for the castle,” and based on this debut, she’s going to make it

2. Hold Me Down — 10/10

The intro is so cool, with sparse orchestral pops that make quite the first impression. The lyrics are great, too, as Halsey struggles with her demons. The harmonies are glorious and the beat is pretty appealing, too.

3. New Americana — 8/10

“New Americana” is definitely a track designed to brand Halsey as the new icon of the American youth, describing a Great Gatsby-esque vision of “new money” and self-made wealth. “We are the new Americana / high on legal marijuana” she sings, celebrating the “survival of the richest.” As far as singles go, this one is a typical anthem wisely appealing to her target audience. One cannot deny that it is a catchy choice, though, with smart harmonies and a really memorable chorus.

4. Drive — 7/10

This seductive track opens slowly, first with a car door noise, and then with a quiet intro and muted guitar. The male vocals as backup on the second chorus are a great effect and add to the tale, demonstrating his perspective on their relationship. This song compares driving with their relationship, implying that they keep moving but aren’t going anywhere, like Melanie Martinez’s “Carousel.”

5. Roman Holiday — 8/10

This cool dance song is so fun and simple — and so catchy. The melodies are perfect and the lyrics are mundane yet intriguing, as Halsey describes a passionate relationship and urges her lover to come with her on a “Roman Holiday.” This is a really solid track.

6. Colors — 10/10

This track is gorgeous — I love the lyrics and the chorus is killer. However, it does share a myriad of similarities with Taylor Swift’s “Red.” Both songs describe a love or lover in terms of color, and both use blue, grey, and red. The songs are even in the same key, C# major. Yet the loss of originality cannot refute the beauty of this song, and I will definitely be listening to it on repeat.

7. Coming Down — 7/10

While not quite as stellar as the previous tracks, this is still a solid track. The beat is hypnotic and the lyrics are wild and seductive, well-suited for Halsey’s deep voice: “I found God / I found him in a lover,” she sings on the opening line.

8. Haunting — 8/10

While most songs deride a person for haunting them, this track does just the opposite, as Halsey implores her ex- to keep haunting her. It seems “Haunting” describes a relationship torn apart when her lover strayed, but neither of them can let go. The sound effects used on the chorus are really brilliant, and the whole track is pretty great.

9. Control — 9/10

This track is seriously dark, full of deep beautiful lines, like “My mind’s like a deadly dark disease.” This track is creepy, but like “Coming Down,” Halsey handles the low notes masterfully. The cool echoes and the quiet bridge add to the eerie appeal, rounding out a beautiful song carefully balanced between beauty and darkness.

10. Young God — 6.5/10

This song reminds me of a Lana del Rey track. It’s very slow and ominous, with deep echoes under Halsey’s voice on the second verse. I’m not a huge fan of the (rather confusing) lyrics, but overall it’s not a bad track — Halsey still produces a catchy track for enjoyable listening, despite the subpar lyrics.

11. Ghost — 9/10

“I’m searching for something that I can’t reach” sings Halsey, opening the finale quietly before the beat picks up and the lyrics take flight. This song is rebellious and youthful, describing a disconnected and potentially risky relationship: “I can’t find you in the body sleeping next to me…what happened to the soul I used to know?” This one is a tad repetitive, but a fine closer that successfully wraps up the album on a high note. You can check out the rather racy video below:

Overall: 8.5/10

This is a great album and a solid debut for Halsey. These songs are well-crafted with catchy melodies, beautiful harmonies, and driving rhythms that help them get stuck n your head all day. I highly recommend this album and look forward to Halsey’s future endeavors with anticipation.

Learn more about Halsey at iamhalsey.com.