Album Review: Blondshell - ‘Violins’

Violins is Blondshell’s latest output, and while the double entendre of the title might

remind you of a certain Pearl Jam lyric, the grunginess of the album’s tone will only

reinforce that instinct. Don’t let that prevent you from embracing the absolutely unique

voice that deftly carries the balance between this album’s cleverly and elegantly styled

nuances and its more overt nods to 90’s grunge.

Sabrina Teitelbaum has experimented with several different musical identities early in

her career, and while her writing seems to always have held a sense of modern vision

that she can claim distinctly, the persona that she’s carved out under the moniker

Blondshell has taken on its own consistency. Like many artists who achieve some

popularity via social media, Blondshell has a knack for pop catchiness, and this is

reflected in much of her work. However, her ability to transcend our worst impulses to

categorize and box her work into a neat little package is likely her greatest superpower.

Violins highlights that in nearly every song.

The opening title track, “Violins,” incorporates a guitar feel that has grunge, pop, and

indie influences, but is complicated by an urgency of message and layering of vocals

that elevate it into something much more like a jbrekkie or Phoebe Bridgers level of

modernity. It’s hard not to feel the irony laced into the words, either, reminiscent of

Mitski’s self-deprecating takes on relationships and love. While those comparisons hint

at her growing mastery of her wordcraft, I’m still reluctant to make them at the expense

of missing just how very much this album is definitely and unmistakably her own. I don’t

know of any other artists that are able to make something that feels so familiar sound so

new. This track, in particular, has a biting adversarial quality that exemplifies a confident

rejection of the mistrust and codependency that come with bad relationships.

“Heart Has to Work” moves in the same thematic scope, but plays more like an anthem

for the heavy-lifters in those same bad relationships and would fit nicely on a workout

playlist for someone looking to build both their physical and emotional fortitude. I can

see listening to this one on repeat in the right (or wronged?) state of mind.

Take the track, “Lucky”, as another example of the cognitive dissonance Blondshell

seems to be able to so effortlessly achieve. A hopeful and bright piano intro lead into

the familiar understated tone of her ever-so-slight rasp in the first verse about walking in

Dublin and gratefulness for blessings that shouldn’t be taken for granted. It has a typical

grunge characteristic in that it seems to be exploring a discordant feeling through self-

reflection, but it also brings in a sense of resilience that is becoming a hallmark of

Blondshell’s brand. Simultaneously exploring a bright outlook and acknowledgment of

life’s unexplainable tragedies, this track is uplifting and bittersweet without overdoing

either.

The rest of the album carries through some of these same themes and tones, which

works well to establish Blondshell’s confidence in her message and style, but it alsoexperiments with a greater range of genre; “Sea Legs” builds in synth stylings a la Kate Bush, “New Shape” goes acoustic with the guitar, but spreads reverb across the vocals like The Japanese House or even a stripped-down version of Phantogram, while “Two Fried” fills a vocal drop with every bit as much intensity as Ludacris would, while still maintaining a pop-punk edge that somehow still feels indie-rock at heart. “Knotted” builds up from a quiet lullaby to a dreamy sentimentality that Cigarettes After Sex would be proud of, “Reinstall” tears at your heart with a duet-ed vocal layering that evokes a

broken familial bond.

Overall, this album is a masterful demonstration of how Blondshell has established a

clear voice while still giving herself room to experiment. Each track fits neatly into the

consistency of the album’s broader feel while individually enjoying its own distinct

variations on the artist’s cleanly expressed imagination. 

The final track, “Fur Elise,”wraps everything up with the emotional force of the carol for which it is named, while also encapsulating the same distinct sound that has been layered across the album as a whole. I have a feeling that Blondshell will continue to tinker with instrumentation and play with genre in the future, but this current iteration of her work shows quite effectively

how easily her unique voice can turn all those influences into something only she could

produce.

This album is nearly flawless and I rate it 9/10 only because I can see that her growth

and progression as an artist are just beginning. Blondshell is already a force because of

her vocal talent and incredible musicianship, but I have a distinct impression that she

will continue to blow us all away in the future. I’ll play this album on repeat in

anticipation!