Clairo, Immunity | Album Review

Rising Alternative pop artist Clairo gets personal on her brilliant debut album, ‘Immunity,’ produced (or co-produced) by Rostam Batmanglij. 

2019 marked the beginning of Clairo (Claire Cottrill) season! The rising alt-pop singer/songwriter became famous for one particular viral song, “Pretty Girl”.  Post-“Pretty Girl,” Cottrill  (20 as of publication time)  made a fine guest appearance on the Wallows’ single, “Are You Bored Yet?” (Nothing Happens).  Beyond fine advance singles “Bags” and “Closer to You”, her debut album, Immunity is definite BOP.

“Alewife” 

Immunity commences with sad subject matter on ✓ “Alewife,” which finds Clairo singing in an undertone.  “Alewife” isn’t a common title for a song, and honestly, many may wonder what Alewife is.  Well, in this case, the alt-pop singer isn’t referencing the fish, but rather, a transit station in her native Massachusetts: “In Massachusetts / Only 30 minutes from Alewife / I lay in my room / Wonderin’ why I’ve got this life.” Beyond mentioning Alewife, the big takeaway from the lyrical excerpt, as well as “Alewife” itself are the numerous references made to suicide.  Clairo is thankful to a friend who ‘saved her’ – “But you know you saved me from doin’ / Something to myself that night” (verse one) and  “Swear I could’ve done it / If you weren’t there when I hit the floor” (verse two).

“And I know we’re not the same as we were / Used to be falling hard, but now it just hurts me so bad…” Hmm, the impossibility of ✓ “Impossible” doesn’t seem too hard to figure out. “Impossible” is quicker and certainly groovier than “Alewife” with its anchoring, busy drum pattern, which occurs throughout the song (save for the chorus).  That said, Clairo is facing a different beast – the past, specifically matters of the heart. “And I know that it’s time,” she sings on the bridge, “To forget how I’m feeling, don’t want to give in.” Very relatable by all means. The form of the song is interesting, with one verse, followed by the chorus, a bridge, and one final iteration of the chorus.

“Closer to You”

“You called me late at night, I pick up every time / Wish that I could rewind, get some peace of mind.” ✓ “Closer to You” arrived as the second single from Immunity, with Rostam Batmanglij co-writing and producing (he’s produces or co-produces every song on the album).  The sound of “Closer to You” contrasts the two previous numbers, featuring excellent, electro-/alt-pop production cues. The synths and drum programming are quite sleek.  As for the theme, “Closer to You” deals with matters of the heart, evidenced by the aforementioned excerpt from the first verse.  On the second verse, she sings, “Know I’m standing here by choice / And I can’t hear the background noise anyway.” Throughout, Cottrill delivers lovely vocals, even with vocal effects in play.  The chorus provides Cottrill with a well-executed, memorable section. The addition of guitar further amplifies the ear-catching excellence.

“North” continues to find Clairo ‘in her feelings.’  Backed by a punchy beat, she reminisces back on how it felt when they were together: “Oh, and my body hasn’t felt the same / Since you left my apartment / Think my pillows still have your scent.” Ultimately, Cottrill still believes in ‘them’ as a couple, but struggles with addressing those feelings, and hence, questions if she should “just go up north” aka run away.

“Bags”

“I’m not the type to run / I know that we’re having fun / But what’s the rush? Kissing, then my cheeks are so flushed.” Clairo gives us nearly four-and-a-half-minutes’ worth of quality song on ✓ “Bags”, the promo single from Immunity. “Bags” thrives thanks to awesome production (Rostam and Nick Breton).   The sound is quite alluring, featuring an awesome drum groove, driving bass and guitars, as well as some accentuating keyboard work.  It fuels Cottrill’s fire as she sings marvelously over the rhythmic backdrop, while maintaining chill and poise.  Beyond the sound, the songwriting is notable. Cottrill dabbles in matters of the heart, and all is not well in regard to the relationship. On the bridge, she sings, “Pardon my emotions / I should probably keep it all to myself / Know you’d make fun of me.” In other words, she’s holding back and willing to accept the status quo.  The chorus is what makes “Bags” truly the ‘cat’s meow’:

“Can you see me? I’m waiting for the right time
I can’t read you, but if you want, the pleasure’s all mine
Can you see me using everything to hold back?
I guess this could be worse
Walking out the door with your bags…”

“Softly” 

“Didn’t mean to get so close / And I know I should probably go / But I got this feeling / Tell me girl, I gotta know.” Love is entrenched in Immunity. However, ✓ “Softly” adds another wrinkle – coming out.  More and more frequently, LGBTQ+ elements have appeared in popular music.  Clairo joins a group of musicians being true to self and sharing her journey.  Perhaps the most powerful statement comes at the end of the song on the outro: “And I don’t care what they say / … Baby, I’m doing it differently.”

Excellent, groovy follow-up ✓ “Sofia” continues finding Clairo embracing her sexuality without the least bit of shame.  Honestly, “Sofia” moves from ‘questioning’ to ‘confirmation’ and ownership.  “Sofia, know that you and I / Shouldn’t feel like a crime,” she sings at the end of the chorus. On “White Flag,” Cottrill seems to be at peace with a relationship that has come to an end.  Honestly, she’s ‘a good spirit’ to say the least, wishing the best to her lover:

“Grown apart and we’re so far gone
But I’m waving the white flag
Sending my love back, move on.”

“Feel Something”

✓ “Feel Something” slackens the pace, while adding more contemporary, urban-pop cues to the mix.  Rostam continues to give sheer excellence in the production department, while Clairo sounds lovely on both solo and harmonized moments.  Once again, love is troublesome for Cottrill as she’s lonely and longing for a love that’s clearly in the past.  The penultimate record,

“Sinking” definitely sounds painful, and perhaps reading the lyrics without context makes you think that Cottrill is singing once more about the pains of love.  Wrong. As Pitchfork brilliantly describes it:

“‘Sinking’ is about wanting to be fully capable in intimate scenarios, an insecurity that was very much on Cottrill’s mind during the album’s writing sessions, when her arthritis flares were so excruciating that she had trouble making it to the studio…”

So, “Sinking” actually references Clairo’s personal struggles with rheumatoid arthritis – “If you really pay attention to what’s going on, you can tell it’s about something dealing with pain… That’s how arthritis works…”  Closer “I Wouldn’t Ask You” is the longest song on Immunity clocking in just shy of seven minutes.  The first part of the record is quite haunting, particularly the repetitive, but moving chorus (“I wouldn’t ask you to take care of me”).  The second part is quicker in tempo, anchored by fuller production including a sleek beat.  The entire song is gorgeous of course.

Final Thoughts 

Without a doubt, Clairo delivers one of the best albums of 2019 with Immunity.  What makes Immunity such a triumph first and foremost is the songwriting and the themes incorporated within the songwriting. This is a very mature album for someone as young as she is. Cottrill covers a vast number of noteworthy, relevant topics including suicide, love, sexuality, and illness.  Of course, it’s not just the songwriting – the production is strong throughout, and the vocals are pretty sweet as well.

✓ Gems: “Alewife,” “Impossible,” “Closer to You,” “Bags,” “Softly,” “Sofia” & “Feel Something”  

Clairo • Immunity • Fader • Release: 8.2.19

Photo Credit: Fader