David Gonzalez
LV Life Editor
After the release of her EP nearly two years ago, Billie Eilish dropped her debut album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” on March 29, topping the Billboard 200 list that same day.
The 14-track album features songs that display Eilish’s fears, insecurities and vulnerabilities in ways that are relatable to her audience.
Hours before dropping the album, Eilish ask her audience to listen to the album in order on Twitter. The album is chronologically created to tell a cohesive story that portrays the artist’s emotions and sarcastic, dark humor.
Prior to the release date, Eilish released four singles from the album that previewed what the album was going to be like. These songs were diverse in sound and lyrical meaning.
The final single release of the album, “bad guy,” dropped the day before the album did. This song features a fun synth beat that is perfectly paired with Eilish’s airy vocals.
Eilish departs from her typical pop ballads with the high-energy beats found in “bad guy” and “you should see me in a crown,” making the album different from her EP and showcasing her new found versatility.
Songs like “when the party’s over” and “8” feature soft instrumentals that effortlessly compliment Eilish’s vocals.
The track “8” is written from the perspective of someone she has hurt. Eilish reveals that she has been in relationships in which she does not love her partner, saying “‘Cause who am I to be in love / When your love never is for me?”
Most of Eilish’s fears are displayed in her song “bury a friend.” The song was written from the perspective of a “self-doubt monster,” which reveals her flaws and thoughts of suicide throughout the song.
The lyrics that accompany all of her songs display her different emotions that are not easy to express outside of music. This album exposes her insecurities of being invisible to her previous lovers, yet at times being the aggressor.
Although the album tackles heavy issues, there are brief satirical interruptions that lighten the heavy lyrics.
Eilish worked alongside her brother Finneas to produce the album. The production value is high-quality and compliments Eilish perfectly, making the album a satisfying listen. The songs in the album sound similar, but stay distinct enough to keep the listener intrigued.
The entire album feels as if the listener is in a dream-like trance, which matches the title of the album, and can be owed to Finneas’ work as the producer.
David Gonzalez can be reached at david.gonzalez9@laverne.edu.
David Rafael Gonzalez is a senior journalism major and LV Life editor of the Campus Times. He has been a three-time editor-in-chief and has also served as editorial director, LV Life editor and a staff writer.