Baby Queen - The Yearbook

4.2

Rating

4.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

Very good songwriting
Impressive statement of talent of a new artist

Flyctory.com Cons

Some songs need a little bit more effort

The press kit for The Yearbook by Baby Queen roughly started with the words, “Whatever you have planned on your 3rd September 2021 release calendar, forget about it – if you haven’t planned for Baby Queen”. I could stand this explicit working advice – but at least, I dared a listen – and felt that the album is indeed one worth sharing with you. Enjoy my review of this pop album.

Baby Queen – About The Artist

Baby Queen’s civil name is Araballe Latham. She was born on 19th August 1997 in Durban, South Africa, but is now based in London. Even though she started publishing music just recently, in 2020 (her debut single was Internet Religion in that year), she has quite great reputation, especially in the UK. Her most successful track so far is Want Me, which is already close to two million streams on Spotify only.

Baby Queen – The Yearbook – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 32 minutes.

1. Baby Kingdom

Tha alum starts with a 1:25 minute intro. Atmospheric, but nothing you will really remember for long.

2. Raw Thoughts

The album starts with a strong statement. Not necessarily the song only – but Raw Thoughts comes with the strong stat of 1.7million streams on Spotify only. The song is very straight, rhythmic pop song with some touch of alternative. Good one.

3. You Shaped Hole

The press kit states that this song has been written already quite a while ago before it recently made it as a single release. Cool, relatable songwriting with a unique sound of the song. Like it!

Stopped listenin’ to the music you listen to
But I still look at all your photos, so what’s the use?
I can do any fucking thing that I want to do
But thеre’s a hole inside of mе and it’s shaped like you
There’s a hole inside of me and it’s shaped like you

4. American Dream

For American Dream, Baby Queen is teaming up with the Australian artist MAY-A. The result is a powerful pop track, which has a very characteristic and memorable sound. Like it.

5. Narcissist

I’m a fuckin’ narcissist
Yeah, that’s what my problem is
You’re the one that started this
But I’m a fuckin’ nar-, nar-

This fifth song has a very different song: Baby Queen even shows some hip hop skills in Narcissist. The song comes with a nice groove, so that the track, based on a great vocal performance, is really catchy.

6. Dover Beach

Already as a kid Baby Queen was almost “obsessed” by the white cliffs of Dover Beach. Thus, she booked into a Victorian House there and wrote songs. But somehow she felt haunted by her love:

I hear your voice over and over
Sitting on the bеach of Dover
What is happening? Oh, dear
I keep wishing you wеre here
And I swear, I’m gonna lose it if I keep playing your music
But what else is there to do?
Everywhere I look I just see you

Great song!

7. Dover Beach Pt. 2

This story has two parts – and while Dover Beach was a 1.3 million Spotify streams successful single, Dover Beach Pt. 2 is a new track. It is very different to the the first part, as it a mixture of an instrumental track and a spoken word story. I feel that this track adds a lot of atmosphere to the album – even though I typically not like these interlude songs that much.

8. These Drugs

These Drugs is maybe the most honest song on the album – at least is what I feel during listen. The song describes how the artist became addicted and dependent on drugs. She describes how her soul is changing in a beautiful, very relatable way. The song also very metaphorically paints lonely, desperate moments in contrast to very active and energetic ones. Very good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLkT8nsj1Po

9. Fake Believe

I’ve been living in the world of make-believe
It’s always pretty waking up inside a dream
Honey, you can take your sad reality
Away from mе, away from me
When I’m living in the world of makе-believe
I only ever see the things I wanna see
Nothing on the planet ever gets to me
When I’m living in the world of fake believe

A song which perfectly illustrates the strengths of this album: very modern, relatable pop music with very good music. Baby Queen does not feel like a debut album artist at all. Impressive

10. I’m A Mess

Finally, Baby Queen states I’m A Mess – ain’t that a very special way to close your debut album. The chorus is a bit too repetitive to me, though.

Baby Queen – The Yearbook – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

Baby Queen – The Yearbook – My View

I wouldn’t agree to the press kit. You don’t have to stop whatever you are doing and planning for that album. It is not a top class one, it will likely not appear in the Best Album rankings of 2021. But it is not too far away from it. Baby Queen illustrates a lot of potential. The next long play could also be a big step towards the World League of Pop Music. The Yearbook, though, is “just” really good. Which is actually pretty good, I feel.