REVIEW: Pop’s new anti-heroine ‘means business’ on ‘BADLANDS’

Halsey performs at the third day of the Spring 2015 Boston Calling Music Festival, held in Boston’s City Hall Plaza on Memorial Day weekend.

Opening her debut album BADLANDS with the moody, atmospheric “Castle”, New Jersey-based singer Halsey sets the bar pretty high and shows she means business.

Fresh off of Imagine Dragons’ Smoke and Mirrors Tour, where she opened for the alternative rock group, Halsey released the much anticipated BADLANDS on Aug. 28. The deluxe edition is sixteen songs of pumping teenage-angst and clouded love.

In “Castle,” “Hold Me Down” and “New Americana” showcase Halsey dances between ambient sounds and hard-hitting electronic beats. “New Americana” is a Generation Y anthem: Halsey sings of kids raised on “Biggie and Nirvana” who live in a society where they can “smoke legal marijuana” and live and love the way they want to.

Halsey is another in a group of female vocalists who have popped up in the last few years, saying what they want in their songs and kicking ass while they do it. Halsey’s sound is a little Lana Del Rey, a little Lorde, and even a little Taylor Swift. She stands out with excellent electronic production (provided by her boyfriend, Norwegian producer Lido) and a push for social progress.

Other highlights from the album: singles “Hurricane” and “Ghost,” the “Colors” suite, and “Strange Love.” It must be stressed, however, the entire album is worth a listen, and “Strange Love” alone makes paying extra for the deluxe edition worth it.

The writing in the “Colors” suite is some of the strongest from the album, relaying the story of a broken relationship through matching “colors” with the other person. One day she wakes up and realizes the blue he used to be has dulled to a grey, devoid of color with no idea where the relationship is anymore. The symbolism is strong, and backed by an uplifting alt-pop beat.

As Halsey prepares to embark on her headlining BADLANDS Tour, with a stop in Washington at the 9:30 Club on Oct. 20, think back to seeing her perform at the Boston Calling Music Festival this past Spring. She had such an energy and “cool girl” vibe that even though her set was relatively short, it was one of the best of the weekend.

BADLANDS is a stellar debut. Nearly every song is as catchy as the last, and even after listening to it front to back nearly ten times, it hasn’t gotten old. The album is cohesive and flows well, start to finish, giving listeners moments to dance and moments to cry without rushing through the emotions.