Grade: B-
A couple of years ago, you had probably never heard of Mary Lambert.
But then, in October of 2012, exactly two years ago today, an up-and-coming rapper/producer duo from Seattle released an album called “The Heist.”
The album blew up.
One of the most famous songs on the album, “Same Love,” became a megahit.
The pro-same-sex marriage anthem by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Like the majority of the songs on “The Heist,” “Same Love” featured a guest artist, this one being Mary Lambert, who was nearly unheard of at the time.
She wrote and performed the now-famous hook of the song on the album. She was even with the pair when they performed the song live at the 2014 Grammy Awards, when Queen Latifah married dozens of couples during it.
Now, Mary Lambert is looking to make a name for herself outside of the limelight of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
Enter Lambert’s debut album, “Heart On My Sleeve,” hitting shelves Oct. 14.
One of the most likable voices on the pop scene in the past few years, Lambert’s is not overproduced. It has this raw quality to it while still being pretty.
It’s somewhat reminiscent of the Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton era. Some songs harken to more of a Florence Welch sound, especially on “Ribcage (feat. Angel Haze and K.Flay).”
It’s kind of hipster, kind of beautiful and very honest.
The opening track, “Secrets,” features the line, in the first stanza of the first verse, “I’ve got bipolar disorder / My shit’s not in order / I’m overweight / I’m always late / I’ve got too many things to say.”
Despite these seemingly dark lyrics, “Secrets” is one of the most fun pop songs I’ve heard in years. It’s upbeat, energetic, excited and brutally, grin-inducingly honest.
Lambert takes what could be an incredibly generic album, and there are times when it teeters on becoming just that, and makes it interesting, with bits like the spoken word “Dear One” or the guest-star rapping on “Ribcage.”
However, “Heart On My Sleeve” unfortunately does not succeed completely.
It falls into the same trap that almost every other pop album these days does. It opens with a fun bang and then immediately becomes boring.
After the fun opener is through, it’s all kind of slow, depressing and not nearly as well thought-out as that crucial first track. The songs slip into the territory of generic filler.
I understand there may very well be a lot of passion behind the slow songs, but it just seems like they took far less work and energy, especially when they comprise 90 percent of the album.
That’s not to say this album is bad by any means, though.
Unlike the other pop albums of late that fit this template, Lambert’s slow songs are definitely enjoyable, mainly because of her pristine voice that’s just so easy to listen to.
That, and the fact that the writing isn’t absolutely awful textbook garbage. The feeling behind her music is real and present.
The true highlight of the whole album, however, is Lambert’s cover of “Jessie’s Girl.”
Haunting. Brilliant.
It’s almost tough to describe in words because it’s just that beautiful.
All in all, Lambert’s album isn’t perfect, but it’s definitely pretty great.
I know it’s one of those albums that is going to take more than a few cracks to reveal all of its genius. In that sense, it reminds me of the recent Sam Smith album.
Time will tell where Lambert goes after this album, but with the success she’s found with this debut, her future looks bright.
