Halsey, Manic | Album Review 💿

Manic, the third studio album by Grammy-nominated alt-pop sensation Halsey, is an intriguing album overall, with its fair share of moments.

Grammy-nominated alt-pop artist Halsey (Ashley Frangipane) had a fine year in 2019.  She released numerous singles in advance of her third studio album, Manic.  Manic ranked among the most highly anticipated album releases of 2020, thanks to the popularity of the artist, as well as her previous, number one hit single, “Without Me”.  Notably, she’s only gained in popularity since releasing Badlands (2015) and her sophomore album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (2017).  Manic, overall, is an intriguing album with its fair share of moments.

“Ashley” 

Halsey commences Manic with “Ashley,” a sleek pop record where the emotions is high.  Sure, the verses are a bit cooler as far as the vocal, but the intensity level rises on the chorus sections. While I wouldn’t characterize it as a highlight, it definitely sets the tone of the album.  She brings enigma, poetry, and allure on ✓ “clementine” the third single from Manic.  Co-written with John Cunningham who also produces, notable features include a backdrop comprised of timely robust drums and hypnotic piano lines.  Although the record is enigmatic, it’s set in a ‘happier’ major key.

The inspiration for “clementine” is the character Clementine from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, via an interview with Halsey that appeared in Rolling Stone. Lyrically, “Clementine” is quite alluring. “Because in my world, I’m constantly havin’ a breakthrough / Or a breakdown, or a blackout,” she sings on the first verse.  Part of “clementine” comes from a poem Halsey wrote, specifically an excerpt from the bridge:

“My face is full of spiderwebs, all tender yellow-blue
And still with one eye open, well, all I see is you.”

Vocally, Halsey delivers a solid performance, with her most expressive moments arriving on the chorus. She oscillates between moments of restraint, and more passionate, biting moments.  A perfect example is the intensity exhibited on the strong-willed chorus, where she sings, “I don’t need anyone / I just need everyone and then some.”

“Graveyard”

✓ “Graveyard”, the second single from Manic, encompasses loyalty to a fault, potentially death.  Notably, there are a number of co-writers on the single, including Jon Bellion and Louis Bell, who also co-produce, alongside Ojivolta and The Monsters & Strangerz.   An alt-pop sensibility is loud and clear from the start.  Vocally, Halsey sounds respectable, particularly on the centerpiece, the chorus, where the graveyard metaphors pick up even more. The chorus tells you what you need to know about the song. She’s in deep, and to reiterate, loyal to a fault; she’ll literally follow this person to death. All in all, it’s quite enjoyable, without being game changing, as well as relatable and pleasant. 

✓ “You should be sad” surprises because of its sound.  Halsey enlists one of pop’s most reliable and successful fixtures, Greg Kurstin, to construct the background.  The result is pop with a bit of country influence. The biggest takeaway is how superbly she plays the ‘woman scorned’ role.  Honestly, she’s mad as hell.  “No, you’re not half the man you think that you are / And you can’t fill the hole inside of you with money, drugs, and cars,” she asserts on the pre-chorus, continuing with the key lyric, “I’m so glad I never ever had a baby with you / ‘Cause you can’t love nothing unless there’s something in it for you.” Oh snap! The chorus further confirms how she feels post-relationship. If nothing else, “You should be sad” exhibits emotion that is quite potent.

“Forever … (is a long time)”

According to Halsey, “Forever … (is a long time)” marks the first song of a trio of songs that are meant to be listened to successively.  Fair enough.  “Forever” is certainly interesting, beginning in a major key, comprised of intro and verse, before an interlude shifts to a minor key. Honestly, the minor section might be the crowning achievement, with Frangipane bringing more bite.  The keyword is EMOTION.  Also, the production (co-produced with Lido) at the end kicks ass. Lido remains a co-producer on “Dominic’s Interlude,” joining Andrew Jackson and Duck Blackwell. Expectedly, Dominic Fike is the main attraction on this brief, but colorful interlude.  Notably, it’s the first of three featuring the respective artist it’s named after.

Arguably, the best of the ‘trio’ is “I HATE EVERYBODY,” a continuation of “Dominic’s Interlude,” featuring Halsey exclusively.  Featuring a number of co-writers, Finneas O’Connell definitely stands out among the bunch.  The centerpiece of “I HATE EVERYBODY” is the honest chorus:

“So, I’ll just hate everybody
Well, then why can’t I go home without somebody
And really, I could fall in love with anybody who don’t want me
So, I just keep sayin’ I hate everybody
But maybe I, maybe I don’t.” 

Once again, Halsey enlists Greg Kurstin for another certified bop, ✓ “3am.”  Listening to this record, one has to question why it wasn’t an advance single… Like “You should be sad,” “3am” has more of a pop/rock vibe, even dipping into pop-punk.  This is a good sound by all means for Frangipane. From the onset, she exhibits attitude and shows personality as things gets a bit messy post-bar at 3am.  As is the case throughout much of Manic, the chorus is particularly awesome.

“Without Me”

“I filled your cup until it overflowed / Took it so far to keep you close… / I was afraid to leave you on your own.” On ✓ “Without Me”, Halsey is authentic, genuine, and ‘true to self,’ per her Zane Lowe interview, on this “stand-alone record,” where she sings from her own perspective – Ashley Frangipane. Obviously, the slick, urban-pop record ended up appearing on Manic, and finds her focusing on a relationship where she was carrying the weight all by herself.  She elevates her man to the heavens and essentially, he lets it all get to his head while forgetting about and leaving the person who took him to that level. On the chorus, she confirms her role in the pedestal elevation, and wants to know how it feels since she’s no longer in the picture and he’s fallen off.

“Tell me, how’s it feel sittin’ up there?
Feeling so high, but too far away to hold me
You know I’m the one who put you up there
Name in the sky, does it ever get lonely…”

“Beautiful stranger, here you are in my arms and I know / That beautiful strangers only come along to do me wrong /… But I think it’s finally, finally, finally, finally safe / For me to fall…” ✓  🤩 “Finally // beautiful stranger” gives Halsey a pop/rock, singer/songwriter cut.  It also happens to be a love song, confirmed by the aforementioned chorus. The rich, robust rhythmic guitars (production by Greg Kurstin once more) are a bit unexpected, given the abundance of electronic sounds usually associated with Halsey’s music.

Vocally, she sounds alluring, giving a relatively balanced performance, yet also bringing a bit more oomph on the chorus.  The songwriting is strong, as she sings lovingly of her boo with an assortment of charming and descriptive lyrics: “You got hips like Jagger and two left feet” (verse one) and “Used to think that loving meant a painful chase / But you’re right here now and I think you’ll stay” (verse two). Considering this is supposedly the first love song she’s ever written, it’s a truly accomplished one.

“Alanis’ Interlude”

Most of the second interlude from Manic, “Alanis’ Interlude,” is performed by Halsey.  That said, Alanis Morissette assists (chorus, post-chorus, and outro).  Of course, eyebrows are raised with the lyric, “‘Cause your pussy is a wonderland / And I could be a better man.” Seems fitting that “killing boys” follows, featuring an intro excerpted from the film, Jennifer’s Body.  Clearly, Frangipane swears off of no-good boys:

“And I won’t ever try again
And all I want in return is revenge
‘Cause I don’t need you anymore, whoa
So where do you go?”

On “SUGA’s Interlude”, Halsey collaborates with South Korean rapper SUGA from standout K-pop collective, BTS.  She commences “SUGA’s Interlude” with the intro, which ends up being an excerpt from the eventual chorus. As always, her vocal tone is quite beautiful – she sounds cool and quite smooth.  That said, the chorus is her sole vocal contribution as SUGA takes the reins on the first and second verses.  The first verse is exclusively in Korean, while the second verse has three lines worth of English.  Without digging deep into the translation, the vibes are definitely mellow throughout, from both his and her perspective.  The production is smooth, and there’s a sense of mellowness.  The piano-based sound is a perfect fit. If nothing else, “SUGA’s Interlude” is a nice vibe, and the production is a selling point (Lido, Pdogg, and SUGA himself).

“More” 

Heading down homestretch, ✓ “More” is a lovely, incredibly personal record. Here, Halsey makes a number of references to her endometriosis, with one of the most brilliant occurring during the first verse: “A couple of years of waiting rooms / Finding God, and lose him too.” She’s lost her faith in part due to her circumstances, facing grief based upon her miscarriages. “I sit and I stare at your clothes in the drawer,” she sings on the pre-chorus, continuing, “I cry, and my knuckles get sore.”  Short, but sweet, this is sure to be the underrated gem from Manic.

Penultimate record “Still Learning” is another personal record, where Halsey reflects on life, particularly as she’s became a famous pop star.  On the second verse, she sings, “You think I’m swimmin’ in green / But it’s passed around my family tree / No man wants to really commit / Intimidated ‘cause I get paid and shit.” It’s amazing how deep a quick-paced, slick pop cut like this one goes. Closing cut “929” represents her birthday – September 29, 1994. Like the previous two numbers, Ashley Frangipane is quite honest about the state of her life and the past.  It’s a fitting way to close Manic.

Final Thoughts 

Cutting straight to the chase, Manic is by far the best album that Halsey has released.  She continued her conceptual vibes, but what stands out the most about the album is her honesty – she’s quite personal.  There’s a greater level of authenticity, exhibited by the likes of “You should be sad,” “Finally // beautiful stranger,” and “More” among others.  Yes, without question, Manic marks the crowning achievement of Ashley Frangipane’s discography.  It was well worth the slow but steady promotional campaign.

✓ Gems: “clementine,” “Graveyard,” “You should be sad,” “3am,” “Without Me,” 🤩 “Finally // beautiful stranger” & “More”

Halsey • Manic • Capitol • Release: 1.17.20

Photo Credit: Capitol