Maude Latour was a student just like one of us; studying philosophy, she was begging for a big break so she would be able to pursue music full time. She just graduated from Columbia University, signed with a label, and released a brand-new album titled 001. These tracks are amazing. The flow from song to song shows her coming into her own as a writer. The album has beautiful messages about female friendships, introspection, and radically accepting the human you are. I’ve gone through song by song, reviewing the album for you all!
001:
“I’m at the edge of the world that I knew
Is this the end?
Am I just passing through?
Baby, put your sneakers on
I wanna run
Baby, fuck your friends
I just wanna have fun”
This song starts with an ominous tone, almost comparable to soft-pop artist Lorde. We hear a similar message to Maude’s other songs; however, she presents herself in a different way. She experiments with different tones here. Maude’s closing a chapter here, she’s leaving college and diving into her music full-time. As she says, she’s trying to “Shine bright like a fucking star.”
Headphones:
“These dreams I have are so insane, I try to tell you but I can’t
You wouldn’t even get it even if I said it
I let the music lead the way, So I can show you who I am
I put my headphones on, and I play my song”
This song is a beautiful up-beat anthem; a perfect song to hype yourself before an interview, date, or meeting up with friends. A song that is about seeing love everywhere you look for it. It’s almost as if we can see the world through Maude’s rose-colored glasses.
Lola:
“Keep my girls protected
I’m turned on when I’m respected
For my planet, for my daughters
Make my music, drink my water”
If I had two describe this song in two words I would say “feminists’ hymn.” Lola is a song about showing love to your girls. In an interview by Sweety High, Maude Latour describes this song as “a testament to protecting people.” She continues later, “It is dedicated to healing, and to survivors of assault.” This is my favorite song on the album, it’s one-of-a-kind. It’s been a while since I’ve heard a song truly dedicated to friendship.
Trees:
“And suddenly the trees
Are breathin’ like my lungs are, too
And it occurs to me
That I’m forever changed by you”
Upon first listen, this song sounds like an up-beat environmental tune, while that might be true, Maude also adds in multiple interviews that this song also is about grief for her. Missing someone’s love and still feeling it in different ways that aren’t physical. The song is a beautiful goodbye to someone lost in her life.
Probabilities:
“You play that song from high school
Class of ’17
We used to scream all the words
Now I know what they mean
You put your makeup on
Six flights to the roof
Wave function collapse
When I’m looking at you”
Instead of viewing our future as daunting, Maude takes a positive twist on the anxiety us young people feel as we move through college trying to figure out what we want to do. As we play around with different majors and career fields, she makes us all feel heard. So, when you’re debating any sort of change at this age, listen to this song. Maybe it’ll turn that anxiety into excitement like it did for me!
Living it:
“This is so difficult
I need a miracle
It was so innocent
Love unconditional”
This is my favorite song on the album, it has such a peaceful ambiance. Almost melancholic, the song is about letting go of the relationship that never was. We’ve all been there, saying goodbye to the partner who never was.
Cyclone:
“I’ll always see you like at fifteen
Dancing, not afraid of anything
It kills me, fighting
Forgive you for everything (Everything, everything)
I’m sorry for everything
I’m sorry for everything”
Cyclone explains the story of a broken friendship and the effort to heal that. There’s nothing like a fight with your best friend, especially your childhood best friend. As we age, we might grow apart from these people, but for the most part, the importance of them in your life never changes.
I personally was amazed by this album, it felt so different from anything that the artist had produced before. I think this is a great album with applicable themes to all of us, especially in this crazy transitional period of our lives. It’s upbeat music with empowering messages truly could easily become any college girls anthem.