St. Vincent, Daddy’s Home | Album Review 💿

Grammy-winning alternative singer/songwriter St. Vincent delivers one of the truly elite, well-rounded albums of 2021 with Daddy’s Home.

Songwriting is a gift, period.  There are plenty of people who’ve described themselves as songwriters.  That said, there are far fewer who actually possess the gift and are truly skilled at it.  For Annie Clark, aka 🏆 Grammy winning singer/songwriter 🎙 St. Vincent, she’s one of those who truly possesses the knack and skill.  Throughout the course of her first album of the 2020s, 💿 Daddy’s Home, she shows off those epic songwriting skills.  Honestly, throughout this eclectic, home run album, Clark exhibits musicianship at its finest, making this LP rank among the best of the best of 2021.

“Pay Your Way in Pain” 

Commencing Daddy’s Home is awesome single ✅ 🎵 “Pay Your Way in Pain”.  As always, St. Vincent doesn’t disappoint on this unique sounding co-write and co-production with 🎼✍ 🎛 Jack Antonoff. There’s a sort of this cabaret sound initially, which is throwback in quality. Soon enough, “Pay Your Way in Pain” transforms into this adventurous joint blending funk and electronic cues.  This quirky number is alternative through and through. If nothing else, Clark delivers an ear catching record that doesn’t conform in any way, shape, or fashion.  I love the playful ways that she uses her voice here. The songwriting is also intriguing, telling a compelling story. Specifically, the character seems to be facing plenty of pain as the adversity is through the roof from lack of money, being judged, and becoming homeless – it’s a lot! “Pay Your Way in Pain” is a unique, rewarding way to start things off for sure.

How does one follow up a triumph like “Pay Your Way in Pain?” Well, perhaps it shouldn’t be simple, but ✅ 🎵 “Down and Out Downtown” marvelously gets the job done.  On “Down and Out Downtown,” St. Vincent keeps the momentum going strong on Daddy’s Home.  The record employs a soulful, vintage palette of sounds hailing from the past yet sounding refreshing in 2021.  Furthermore, Annie Clark sings incredibly well, supported by sweet backing vocals.  Further sweetening the deal is terrific songwriting, which encompasses reflecting on the previous night’s experiences and delivers a memorable chorus.

“Hey, I was flyin’
Over the Empire State
Then you kissed me
And I crashed again.”

“Daddy’s Home” 

Maintaining the throwback vibes of Daddy’s Home is the lush, jazzy, relaxed, and sultry ✅ 🎵 “Daddy’s Home.”  This is the third straight winner in the context of the album. “Daddy’s Home” is a chill record referencing ‘Daddy’ literally returning home (from prison, specifically) as well as the naughtier, sexual interpretation of the phrase.  Clark, once more, plays up those cabaret vibes on this particular cut.  Furthermore, she brings mad personality and some eccentricity, which I totally live for. Keeping things rolling, the psychedelic-infused, six-and-half minute ✅ 🎵 “Live in the Dream” slackens the pace, giving St. Vincent a truly gorgeous ballad.  She sings with incredible expression and sincerity, imparting a tale encompassing dreams.  Her point seems to be about how, in reality, it’s most conducive to embrace dreams.  “But I can’t live in the dream,” she sings on the chorus, going on to add, “The dream lives in me.” In other words, “living in a dream” itself can lead to utter disappointment and ultimately destruction while if “the dream lives in me,” you are firmly in control.

Keeping Daddy’s Home on the ‘up and up’ is the brilliant second single, ✅ 🎵 “The Melting of the Sun,” appearing as the fifth track. Notably, St. Vincent highlights numerous women telling their respective stories, most of which are filled with pain and adversity.  For example, “Saint Joni [Joni Mitchell] ain’t no phony / Smoking Reds where Furry sang the blues.” She goes on to reference the drug overdose of Marilyn Monroe, singing, “‘Hell,’ she said, ‘It’s better than abuse.’” Wow.  One of my favorite lyrics arrives later, as she sings, “And proud Nina [Simone] got subpoenaed / Singing, “‘Mississippi, good goddamn.’” “The Melting of the Sun” is easily among the crème de la crème of Daddy’s Home.

“The Laughing Man”

The first of three interludes arrive beginning on the sixth track with 🎵 “Humming – Interlude 1.”  Another fine, clever ballad follows with 🎵 “The Laughing Man.” “Little birds, little birds / Chirp, chirp, chirp,” St. Vincent sings at the end of the first verse, before dropping the reality of the situation: “Singin’ like the day is perfect / But to me, they sound psychotic.” In the following lines, it’s clear Clark is referencing a friend who has passed on, something she clarifies upon verification of the lyrics.  The key lyric, of course is derived from the title itself: “If life’s a joke, then I’m dyin’ laughing.”

“Tell me who hurt you / No, wait, I don’t care to / Hear an excuse why you think you can be cruel.” Ah, just when you ask the question, can Daddy’s Home get any better, then comes ✅ 🎵 “Down.” “Down” marks one of the most aggressive, entertaining songs of the album.  It encompasses the vicious cycle of abuse as well as revenge.  “Get off your own shit, get off of my tit,” Clark bites on the bridge, continuing, “Go face your demons, check into treatment / Go flee the country, go blame your daddy.” All the while these awesome lyrics are being unveiled, the music is killer with rhythmic Wurlitzer, assertive guitar, and an utterly infectious groove.  That doesn’t even account for compelling lead and backing vocals by Clark herself.

“Somebody Like Me” 

The second of three interludes (🎵 “Humming – Interlude 2”) precedes the 10^th track, 🎵 “Somebody Like Me.”  Once more, St. Vincent remains a model of utmost consistency.  The singing is on-point, the writing remains thoughtful, and the music continues to be ear catching and elite.  She then follows-up with 🎵 “My Baby Wants a Baby,” which lifts its chorus from the classic, 🎵 “Morning Train (Nine to Five)”, performed by 🎙 Sheena Easton and written by 🎼✍ Florrie Palmer.  Naturally, Palmer is credited alongside the original writing by Clark beyond the famed chorus.  Clark slackens the pace from the Easton original, ensuring she makes “My Baby Wants a Baby” her own, distinct song.

“Reminiscin’ got us laughin’ / And that’s when I saw your face crackin’…” The final ‘full-length’ song from Daddy’s Home appears as the 12^th track, 🎵 “… At the Holiday Party.” Here, Clark masterfully paints a portrait of a person who is ‘going through things’ yet trying to mask their pain. “Pills and JUULS and speed / Your little purse a pharmacy,” she goes on to sing, adding, “And hide behind these things / So no one sees you’re not gettin’… what you need.”  It’s a very relatable, soulfully executed record, continuing the excellence of Daddy’s Home.

“Candy Darling / Who knows why the caged bird even sings?” Penultimate cut 🎵 “Candy Darling” runs under two minutes in duration. Even so, Clark delivers three well-rounded verses in addition to the chorus (twice), referencing the transgender actress who sadly didn’t live beyond her twenties. “And Candy, my sweet / I hope you will be comin’ home to me.” Daddy’s Home concludes with the third and final interlude, 🎵 “Humming – Interlude 3.”

Final Thoughts 💭 

Ultimately, with Daddy’s Home, St. Vincent delivers a surefire home run period.  Annie Clark never disappoints.  For as many great albums as she’s delivered throughout her career, Daddy’s Home definitely ranks near the top.  She never misses the mark with each and every song bringing something meaningful and rewarding.  Annie, please never change! 

✅ Gems 💎: “Pay Your Way in Pain,” “Down and Out Downtown,” “Daddy’s Home,” “Live in the Dream,” “The Melting of the Sun,” “The Laughing Man” & “Down” 

🎙 St. Vincent • 💿 Daddy’s Home • 🏷 Loma Vista • 📅 5.14.2021 

[📷: Loma Vista]