Billie Eilish, Happier Than Ever | Album Review 💿

Billie Eilish exceeds expectations on Happier Than Ever, her authentic, more intimate and personal sophomore album.

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don’t envy the task of a musician having to follow-up a juggernaut – a certified masterpiece.  For 🎙 Billie Eilish, she had a juggernaut on her hands with 💿 WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?. It was commercially successful, critically successful, and earned her and brother/producer, 🎛 FINNEAS (Finneas O’Connell), multiple 🏆 Grammys including the highly coveted Album of the Year.  Now, the time has come to follow-up.  If 💿 Happier Than Ever had experienced ‘the sophomore slump’ it would be understandable.  However, it doesn’t, in the least. If anything, Eilish has matched if not exceeded brilliance of her debut on Happier Than Ever, a more intimate and personal sophomore album.

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“Getting Older”

“Things I once enjoyed / Just keep me employed now.” Those lyrics are both relatable to anybody and specific to Billie Eilish.  She commences Happier Than Ever with ✅ 🎵 “Getting Older,” where she reflects on how things have changed as she matures and experiences life.  This well-produced number (FINNEAS is a beast, as always) sets the tone.  Notably, she references the title (“I’m happier than ever, at least that’s my endeavor”), as well as opens up about abuse (“(Wasn’t my decision) To be abused”) and trauma.    

Starting a song out with a growling dog – now that’s something you don’t hear every day! On 🎵 “I Didn’t Change My Number,” post-dog-growl, Eilish references a bad relationship.  She describes her love interest as being “Easy on the eyes, eyes, eyes / But looks can be deceivin’.” Notably, she cites people she trusts as discouraging this relationship, including Laura, her manager, and her friend, Drew.  Follow up 🎵 “Billie Bossa Nova” is indeed a contemporary bossa nova record, which is intriguing.  Like the previous two songs, as great as the production and sound of the record is, it’s the personal nature of the lyrics that stand out the most.  One eyebrow raising moment: “Makes me wanna take a picture / Make a movie with you that we’d have to hide.” Ooh wee! 

On ✅ 🎵 “my future”, an early Happier Than Ever single, we get both familiarity and new wrinkles. Eilish, known for her subtlety, continues in that vein, but is more optimistic (“‘Cause I’m in love / With my future / Can’t wait to meet her…”). She remains hypnotic vocally, drawing listeners into every lyric and note.  That’s particularly notable on the first half of the song which is slow and indulgent. She exhibits her ability to deliver balladry without breaking a sweat. As always, her bro has her back from a production standpoint.  Perhaps the biggest surprise is the change of pace.  The addition of a sick groove and increased tempo is thoughtful and unexpected.

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“Oxytocin”

The production work throughout Happier Than Ever is epic.  One of the most ear-catching backdrops comes on the minimalistic, rhythmic ✅ 🎵 “Oxytocin.”  The moment I heard “Oxytocin,” I knew it sounded like nothing else I’ve heard this year. Besides the marvelous instrumental, Billie Eilish is on autopilot with her playful vocals chocked-full of personality.  The suggestiveness – the sexual innuendo – is turned up to the nth degree.  Lyrically, Eilish remains sharp, yielding numerous memorable moments: “If you only pray on Sunday, could you come my way on Monday? / ‘Cause I like to do things God doesn’t approve of if She saw us.” 

✅ 🎵 “GOLDWING” keeps the album shining. Furthermore, it marks one of the best songs.  Billie Eilish advises a nameless young woman who is ‘angelic’ in the sense they haven’t been traumatized.  “Gold-winged angel / Go home, don’t tell / Anyone what you are,” she sings, adding, “You’re sacred and they’re starved / And their art is getting’ dark / And there you are to tear apart.” It’s a thoughtful, wise message. Furthermore, Eilish delivers the two-and-a-half-minute gem gorgeously. I love the celestial sound of the intro vocals.

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“Lost Cause”

“Thought you had your shit together, but damn, I was wrong.” Eilish brings some bite and sass to ✅ 🎵 “Lost Cause”, which checks off all boxes. The record features an awesome rhythmic groove and more colorful, decadent production. Notably, “Lost Cause” has more urban pop flavor.  This is a welcome contrast that Billie eats up, singing more dynamically than usual, there’s indulgence about her performance that makes it charming. Her harmonized vocals on the chorus are quite ear-catching, while the chorus itself is quite infectious:

“You ain’t nothin’ but a lost cause (Cause, cause)
And this ain't nothin’ like it oncе was (Was, was)
I know you think you’re such an outlaw
But you got no job (job).”

Eilish rips this guy a new one.  It all goes back to those matters of the heart which in this case didn’t work out particularly well for Billie. At least, it works out masterfully for the listeners!

✅ 🎵 “Hailey’s Comet” continues excellence – honestly, it exceeds it.  The music – melody and production – is gorgeous, as are Eilish’s vocals. Interestingly, the final minute-plus features a contrasting key and background.  This keeps the song fresh and eliminates predictability. The lyrics remain spellbinding, as Eilish sings about falling in love.  One of my favorite lyrics occur on the third verse:

“Midnight, for me, is 3AM for you
But my sleepless nights are better
With you than nights could ever be alone.”

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“Not My Responsibility”

🎵 “Not My Responsibility” hits hard, but not because of extremely loud music.  It hits hard because of the messaging.  A spoken word record backed by an enigmatic backdrop, Eilish addresses the criticism she’s received, particularly regarding her attire.  “If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman,” she states, continuing, “If I shed layers, I’m a slut / Though you’ve never seen my body, you still judge it / And judge me for it / Why?” 

She follows with 🎵 “OverHeated,” which brings in elements of the production from the previous track, reconfigured.  I like the effect of how these two tracks are connected.  Essentially, “OverHeated” is a sung edition of “Not My Responsibility,” as far as theme is concerned.  🎵 “Everybody Dies” marks another respectable, above average number – well performed, produced, and written.  That said, it’s one of the few songs, when nitpicking Happier Than Ever, that doesn’t resonate quite as much with me.  Still, don’t get it twisted – it’s a worthwhile listen!

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“Your Power”

“Try not to abuse your power.” That is a powerful lyric from advance single, ✅ 🎵 “Your Power”. The biggest thing to love about “Your Power” is the songwriting – the theme and the lyrics.  Eilish goes big, tackling an ‘abusive’ relationship. 

“...I know we didn’t choose to change
You might not wanna lose your power
But havin’ it’s so strange.”

While this song is personal to Eilish, she seems to aim at an entire congregation wronged by power – abuse.  Vocally, she sings as beautifully, intimately, and understatedly as always. “Your Power” is more acoustic sounding compared to her previous records.  The use of guitar as the driving force within the accompaniment is very musical, much like Billie’s vocal performance.  Focusing once more on the main attraction, Eilish manages to get a catchy, memorable chorus out of this fine, emotionally charged record.

“Did I take it too far? / Now I know what you are / You hit me so hard / I saw stars.” ✅ 🎵 “NDA” marks another incredibly rewarding single from Happier Than Ever.  Notably, FINNEAS ‘shows out’ on the boards, particularly the chorus.  “NDA” is a darker moment, with the title serving as an acronym for non-disclosure agreement.  Billie lets us peek into her world throughout the song.  She rose to fame as a teen, and she imparts the downside of fame including stalkers, lack of parties, and the time she “Had a pretty boy over, but he couldn’t stay / On his way out, I made him sign an NDA.” Later, on this intense yet intriguing gem, she adds, “I’ve been havin’ fun gettin’ older now / Didn’t change my number [made him shut his mouth / At least I gave him something he can cry about.” I love how Eilish sounds throughout, particularly the brief but gorgeous chorus, as well as her ratcheted up intensity on the outro (excerpted at the top). “NDA” is utterly sublime.

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“Therefore I Am” 

“Stop, what the hell are you talking about? Ha / Get my pretty name out of your mouth / We are not the same with or without…” ✅ 🎵 “Therefore I Am” marked the second advance single from Happier Than Ever, following 🎵 “my future”.  The production is minimal but cool and potent.  We are blessed with a nice groove and dark synths that bite, set in a minor key (D minor to be precise). Eilish sings in an undertone, continuing to make the subtle approach work. She delivers a playful performance, intact with attitude and sass, with the best part being the sweet, infectious chorus:

“I’m not your friend
Or anything, man
You think that you’re the man
I think, therefore, I am.”

“Therefore, I Am” is another winner with production, subtlety, and a blend of playfulness and attitude sealing the deal. 

✅ 🎵 “Happier Than Ever” ranks among the biggest surprises of Happier Than Ever.  Why? “Happier Than Ever” transforms into this bold, overblown rock cut.  Eilish, who barely raises her voice usually, gives us a powerful, unexpected dynamic vocal on the second half of the track.  Just hearing this ‘about face,’ particularly after “Happier Than Ever” doesn’t begin the way it ends, is enough to make it a surefire winner. 

That means that closing cut 🎵 “Male Fantasy” has a hard act to follow.  It does, but “Male Fantasy” has its own redeeming qualities, with the reference to pornography raising eyebrows.  That said, the pornographic lyric doesn’t define “Male Fantasy” – the chorus is more telling:

“‘Cause I loved you then, and I love you now
And I don’t know how
Guess it’s hard to know when nobody else comes around
If I’m getting over you
Or just pretending to
Be alright, convince myself I hate you.”

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Final Thoughts 💭

Once again, Billie Eilish has delivered the goods.  Happier Than Ever is a different album compared to her debut, but it’s also more intimate and personal.  Often, younger musicians have a harder time relaying authentic emotion, or at least, what’s deemed authentic by older listeners.  Here, Eilish does a fabulous job of conveying her experiences, giving us more of herself – digging deeper than she did on 💿 WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? Her first album was a masterpiece, and guess what? So is her second.  

✅ Gems 💎: “Getting Older,” “my future,” “Oxytocin,” “GOLDWING,” “Lost Cause,” “Hailey’s Comet,” “Your Power,” “NDA,” “Therefore I Am” & “Happier Than Ever”  

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🎙 Billie Eilish • 💿 Happier Than Ever • 🏷 Darkroom / Interscope • 🗓 7.30.21

[📷: Darkroom / Interscope]

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