Madison Beer acutely titled her sophomore album “Silence Between Songs” — while her voice is stunning and the production strong, Beer does not have much to say.
Despite her tumultuous experience growing up in the spotlight, Beer’s album lacks vigor in its vulnerability. The music industry is currently booming with young female talents such as Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams and Reneé Rapp. These artists have excelled largely due to their commitment to honest songwriting, detailing the good, bad and ugly within their coming-of-age. “Silence Between Songs” also attempts this raw lyricism, but it ultimately falls short.
The album was originally set to be released in 2021, however, due to unforeseen circumstances, the date was pushed back two years. Beer released five singles from the album during the gap, including “Reckless” (2021), “Dangerous” (2022), “Showed Me (How I Fell In Love With You)” (2022), “Home To Another One” and “Spinnin.” The album was finally released on Sept. 15.
“Silence Between Songs” is an indie-pop album with consistently impressive production but shallow lyricism. The opening track “Spinnin” is among the strongest tracks. Beer’s voice is confident and smooth, the production is energetic and unique and the lyrics paint a clear picture of intense loneliness and confusion. The lyrics are ambiguous enough to lead to multiple interpretations, ensuring its appeal to a large audience, but too vague that they lack sense. In contrast, the third track “Envy the Leaves” falls flat. The attempted metaphor is elementary yet confusing. I personally did not even grasp the meaning until my third listen.
Beer entered the music scene at age 13 after Justin Bieber discovered her on YouTube. She quickly became an online sensation and a child star, and she signed with Bieber’s current manager, Scooter Braun, whom she left only three years later. At only 16-year-old, Beer had nude photographs of herself leaked online, resulting in a flood of cyberbullying and harassment.
“I felt unprotected on the internet when I was 14 years old, how no one cared that I was a minor, let alone a child,” Beer revealed in an interview with Lana Del Rey.
In the same interview, Beer also briefly discussed her memoir, “The Half of It: A Memoir,” which was released in April. Although she is only 24 years old, Beer hoped the memoir would set the record straight, confronting the “misconceptions” and “misjudgments” she felt have been made about her. “Silence Between Songs” likewise deals with her coming-of-age in this aggressive online world.
However, the album simply feels empty. After 11 years of bullying, harassment, growth and maturation, Beer should have more to say. Although there is no rule that artists must bear their souls with reckless abandon, I personally find lyrics that read like diary entries more attractive. Beer accomplished this in the stripped-back songs “Ryder” and “Reckless,” which demonstrate her potential for powerful songwriting.
“Ryder” is an emotional ballad apologizing to her younger brother for leaving him behind during their childhood. On this track, only a soft guitar accompanies Beer’s smooth voice. The minimal production encourages the listener to focus on the lyrics, in which Beer confronts her guilt of leaving her brother in a hostile home and subverts the traditional motifs of childhood bliss such as building forts.
“Castles and pillows / And all of the places / I built us to hide,” Beer sings. “I always left you out / You still loved me somehow.”
Additionally, “Reckless,” her most-streamed song, is a striking break-up anthem. In this scathing ballad, Beer writes the story of her ex’s affair. The song is angry and vengeful yet equally tragic.
“I’m so sorry if you can relate,” Beer warns the listener, somewhat breaking the fourth wall and making the track particularly unique.
Overall, the album is sonically consistent with beautiful production. The more subdued tracks showcase Beer’s unique voice. If the lyrics had more depth, “Silence Between Songs” would be a great record.
