Album Review: Rachel Platten — Waves

Seasoned starlet Rachel Platten is back with her fourth studio album — Waves. Let’s see if this singer-songwriter’s newest debut is going to make waves, or sink below the tide.

1. Perfect For You — 10/10

From the very beginning, this song is a stunner. The intro is beautiful, and gets bonus points because it reminds me of the intro of “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana. With an incredibly catchy beat, lovely instrumentation, and powerful, inspiring lyrics, I couldn’t ask for more from this perfect album opener. “I got no shame I trust myself, / Won’t change for you, or no one else /making me feel I’m not enough when I am,” Platten sings, standing up for herself and pouring out some much deserved sass. I’ll be playing this empowering anthem until 2018 is well under way.

2. Whole Heart — 8/10

Platten’s honest, vulnerable lyrics really deserve recognition on Waves. Whereas some people rely on complex turns of phrase to express themselves, Platten’s lyrics are so relatable, unaffected, and candid — especially on “Whole Heart.” The background xylophone-esque riffs on the verses make the whole track a bit more interesting, and the catchy melodies on the chorus work well.

3. Collide — 8/10

Platten’s vocals remind me of Sia and Ryn Weaver’s on this track, but with a more electric sound and sharp rhythms, “Collide” also reminded me of Awolnation’s “Sail.” While “Sail” isn’t quite the track I thought I’d think of while listening to the creator of “Fight Song,” Platten makes a harsher sound work for her. The melodies are catchy, the riffs on the choruses are perfect, the instrumentation is rich and intense, and Platten again provides us with honest, relatable lyrics to ponder.

4. Keep Up — 9/10

Discussing a relationship on the rocks, Platten decides that her troubled lover will not be dragging her down anytime soon: “Keep up / ’Cause you’re always breaking down and I’m fed up / And I really need someone who lifts me up,” Platten declares. This track experiments nicely with different beats, has a really interesting bridge (on which Platten almost raps the lyrics), and also packs a powerful crescendo from 0:21 to 0:40. And let’s not forget the amazing ending — the harmonies at 3:30–3:35 are gold.

5. Broken Glass — 9/10

On “Broken Glass,” the debut single on Waves, Platten adopts a triumphant, empowering message, akin to that of 2015’s hit “Fight Song.” Yet while they are similar in message (Platten even sings, “you know I am a fighter” on the bridge of “Broken Glass”), they differ significantly in their sound. Platten leaves her piano chords behind for a more electric tone with synth chords and dance-floor-ready beats. The choruses have beautiful melodies, and the riffs on “So what?” are gorgeous.

6. Shivers — 4/10

“Shivers” attempts to be a seductive love song, but certain moments in the song just completely kill the vibe. The repetition of “ooh baby baby” on the choruses is ridiculous, the cutesy instrumentation didn’t match the sexier lyrics, and Platten’s reference to “pillow lips” didn’t help matters.

7. Loose Ends — 8/10

Platten is throwing some Taylor-Swift-level shade over here. If this track had a synopsis, it’d be “I’m done with your s**t.” The lyrics are clever (and deliciously biting, especially on verse two), the melodies are solid, and the instrumentation perfectly matches the angst in Platten’s impressive voice.

8. Labels — 7/10

Platten sings in “Perfect For You” that she “say[s] exactly what [she] means]” and “Labels” only backs up this claim. She isn’t exactly aiming for subtlety, either — “Screw the labels, screw the labels,” she sings. While the rhymes on this track are a bit contrived — “We don’t need no labels / when you’re sitting ‘cross the table” — the track has decent lyrics and some really fun, catchy melodies.

9. Loveback — 9/10

JT brought sexyback in 2006, and now RP is bringing loveback. With beautiful lyrics, especially on the verses, and stunning melodies, “Loveback” is RP’s celebration of a reciprocated romance.

10. Hands — 8/10

Thanks, Rachel Platten, for making me cry in a coffee shop. This song of loss is a beautiful tearjerker. Platten celebrates her grandmother — who she calls nana — using soft piano instrumentation, gorgeous melodies, and literal excerpts from voicemails her nana left for her to hit us right in the heart. “If I close my eyes, I can still feel your touch / The warm, steady shake of two hands / That love me too much,” Platten sings, leaving our tear ducts no choice but to flood.

11. Fooling You — 10/10

“Any reasonable person would’ve left by now, / But you, you’re holding me after everything you found out,” Platten sings, expressing her incredulity that her love truly accepts every part of her. This is a beautiful love song with catchy, unexpected melodies, a nice beat, and warm instrumentation.

12. Good Life — 5/10

This is a weird track — it sounds a bit like Andy Grammer’s “Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)” meets Sara Bareilles’s “Little Black Dress,” mixed with Ja Rule & Case’s “Livin’ It Up.” And maybe there’s some of OneRepublic’s “Good Life” in there? I can’t figure it out. Either way, this track is messier than all of its aforementioned ancestors. This track is just too sugary for my taste — the bridge is especially too saccharine, as Platten talks about how she’s “really, like, the luckiest person in the smallest ways.” I’m rarely one to meet another’s optimism with cynicism, but this was too sickly sweet, even for me.

13. Grace — 10/10

It’s redundant at this point to praise Platten’s lyrics, but they remain masterful on the album’s closer, “Grace.” A song of low points and faithlessness, Platten creates powerful lines to express how she has evolved into someone she can no longer recognize. The use of sound effects is really well done on this track — the instrumentation is accented by whispering voices, particularly throughout the final minute of the track, that added a nice level of intrigue.

Ultimately: 8/10

Platten has crafted a powerful album. Waves is a very strong release with more than a few chart-worthy tracks — “Perfect For You,” “Fooling You,” and “Grace,” to just name a few. Platten is no newcomer to the music world, and this album shows the finesse and prowess she possesses as a musician, singer, and songwriter.