16. April 2025
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Media Review

Nell Smith – Anxious

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Nell Smith - Anxious

Nell Smith - Anxious
3.8

Rating

 3.8/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Intense listen with good stories
  • Well-defined style
  • Charity recording honoring the artist posthumously

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Songs are a bit too similar

The story behind Anxious is one of the most emotional and touching ones of my music review year 2025 so far. It is not only a debut solo album for the Canadian singer-songwriter Nell Smith – the album is also released posthumously. The release date is 11th April 2025.

 

Nell Smith – About The Artist

Nell Smith was a Canadian singer-songwriter, who died in a car accident in 2024 at the age of 17. Smith majorly became famous in 2021, when she released the album Where The Viaduct Looms, together with the band The Flaming Lips. The album covers Nick Cave originals. Anxious is solely based on a single studio session. The proceedings are given to the Nell Smith Memorial Fund, which intends to supports young artists.

 

Nell Smith – Anxious – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 40 minutes.

1. Anxious

The album begins with the title track. Smith deals with the typical angers and feels of a teenager. The alternative pop sound is present and catching from the very beginning. Thinking about the very special story behind this song causes goosebumps. The slightly melancholic style, especially in the bridge of the song, increases that kind of feeling.

2. Daisy Fields

In the second track, Nell Smith takes the listener to the Daisy Fields. The song has a fine, dreaming sound, which nicely flows during the whole track. On top, there are the fine, high vocals of the artist. The present beat boosts the pop character. The core of the song is the beautiful chorus, indeed.

3. Bubba

Bubba is a very special song on this album. Nell Smith wrote it honoring her friend and mentor Troy Cook. He died in December 2022 at the age of 53 due to cancer. Especially in the context of Anxious, this adds a lot of intensity. The song deals with Cook’s idea of jumping into a river to make it take his soul away. Despite this background, the song sounds comparably happy and enjoyable.

4. The Worst Best Drug

The Worst Best Drug welcomes the listeners with a fine melody and a present beat. Like several songs on this album, you cannot deny a certain psychedelic touch in this song. On the rhythmic side, there is also a flavor of lounge music, which overall leads to a surprisingly easy listen.

5. Service Song

The strumming guitar accompanying Nell Smith is the most present instrumental part of Service Song. Later, the song is also featuring atmospheric elements in the background. The song feels very personal, but also extremely intense. This leads to a touching experience.

6. Boy in a Bottle

With almost seven minute of during, the single release Boy in a Bottle is the longest listen of the album. The song is thanking Wayne Coyne and his The Flaming Lips, who played a that major role in Nell’s short career. The psychedelic style becomes especially obvious on the guitar side. Thus, the song rather feels to fit into the concept of the band founded in 1983 in Oklahoma City.

7. Splash

Splash welcomes the listener with a swaying and groovy melody. After the rather harder-to-digest song before, this feels like a prefect relaxation. Even though the seventh track on Anxious is less than three minutes long, this happy style song leaves a strong mark.

8. I Know Nothing

The eighth song of the takes a while to gather its full energy and intensity. Again, quite a bit of the atmosphere of I Know Nothing is based on electronic sounds on the melodic sides. Overall, the song is rather slow and has a stronger dream pop flavor in some parts.

9. Billions of People

The last of the three Anxious songs which have already been released is Billions of People. The song has a surprisingly mainstream-alike pop-rock style. There is nice work on the bass side, which adds a good groove. The melodic chorus finally turns this song into my favorite of the album.

10. Split In The Sky

Violins kick off the very last Anxious song, Split In The Sky. The song was inspired by Nell’s first tattoo, which she got right after the last British The Flaming Lips tour stop in London. Thus, the song somehow relates to the band again. It is a beautiful and emotional farewell from this record.

 

Nell Smith – Anxious – Spotify

I will add the Spotify widget once the album has been published. 

 

Nell Smith – Anxious – My View

Of course, Anxious will also live from its story. It is simply too depressing and emotional that Nell Smith lost her life so early. It is a well-produced record with a straight style. If you like alternative pop sounds with a touch of dream pop, you will definitely enjoy it.

Favorite Song: Billions of People

 

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