On Friday, March 29th 2019, Billie Eilish released her debut album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” The album comes almost two years after her first EP, Don’t Smile At Me, which is what initially hooked everyone to her unique sound. With her top hits off the album; idontwannabeyouanymore, bellyache and my boy, the excitement and buzz surrounding the album was massive. It broke Apple music history by being the most pre-saved album of all time. But did the quality of the music live up to the hype?
The Album was teased with singles such as you should see me in a crown, bury a friend, when the party’s over, etc.. All of which, in my opinion, were great song choices to choose as singles because it set the tone for what the rest of the album would be. There were vulnerable songs that captured the darker emotions of Billie’s mind, as well as the more confident moments.
Songs like bad guy, all the good girls go to hell, and my strange addiction are songs that have a tone to them that exudes both confidence and devil-ish tones. They are more upbeat like bury a friend. You can’t help but bop to the beat. Unlike most pop songs, where you get good lyrics and a mediocre beat (or vice versa), these songs allow you to have your cake and eat it too. Lyrically they don’t fall short. One of the critically acclaimed things about Billie Eilish is her writing styles are very poetic and mature for her age and even though she has songs that are upbeat, she doesn’t lack that.
Her other songs on the album, xanny, I love you, listen before I go, 8 and ilomilo, touch on her more vulnerable side. From topics of death and suicide to being afraid to be alone, she touches on the things that scare her. Her songs have a nice balance of doing enough to describe exactly what she’s feeling but you could never guess if who she was talking about was a lover, a friend, a stranger, or even herself. It allows her fans to connect with her, but also in their own way.
One song that was a little problematic on the album was I wish you were gay. The melody and beat were all very fun to dance to. However, the fact that the overall meaning of the song is about her wishing this guy could be gay just so that she could feel better about this guy not liking her for something she can’t control (aka her sexual orientation) vs her actual personality, is a very messed up idea. I feel as though there could have been many other ways she could’ve expressed this message. This song has been in the works for a really long time, as she explained the meaning in a live stream last year, and how she didn’t want to offend anyone. She also said in an interview that the song doesn’t have to just pertain to only straight relationships, it can also apply to someone who isn’t straight. She also calls herself out in the song for having this selfish mindset. Which I think is why I still like the song. I like the honesty and self-recognition of her lyrics.
As for the last two songs; !!!!! and Goodbye, are both intro’s and outro’s for the album. !!!! was very random, but showcased Billie’s personality a lot, and the outro for the album showcased a little bit of all the songs on the album into a sad and dreary ending.
Overall, I would give the album 4.7 out of 5 stars. All of the songs are so beautifully written (except for wish you were gay being slightly problematic). And I feel as though people of all ages can relate to the songs on this album. Whether you’re in your feelings or trying to feel like a bad b*tch, this album is for you.