Billie Eilish’s third studio album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, was released on May 17. Her first album in three years, Eilish comes back better than ever.
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is a beautiful rollercoaster of emotions. The song’s themes range from body image issues, love, depression, lust, and more, yet somehow, they truly fit together. The album feels like a complete, cohesive album, not just a random collection of songs put together. Eilish’s choices are intentional and concise, with only 10 tracks on the album. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT tells a story and immerses you in Eilish’s world.
The album opens with “SKINNY,” a mellow, delicate song in which Eilish discusses body image while being in the public eye. The lyrics: “People say I look happy / Just because I got skinny,” voice society’s tendency to associate thinness with beauty and health. The next track “LUNCH” is a complete 180. It’s a fun, upbeat song about Eilish’s intense crush on an unknown girl. It serves as a great break from some of the other more mellow or serious songs.
“CHIHIRO” is named after the protagonist of Studio Ghibli’s 2001 movie, Spirited Away. The song is flowy and graceful which reflects the movie’s whimsical and fantastical atmosphere that it is known for. It’s clear Eilish continued to experiment with more electronic and rhythmic production in the album. This has always been evident in her music, but in this album, it’s used in a much softer way to create a dream-like feel. It is especially shown in this track and the final, “BLUE.”
The next track in the album is “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” it is one of the lighter songs with a good beat. It’s a declaration of love, whether it’s platonic or romantic, and overall just a feel-good song.
The good vibes are taken back down a notch in “WILDFLOWER.” The hints of electronica we hear in the rest of the album are scrapped for acoustic guitar and a much more intimate sound. Eilish’s voice in the chorus is simply unmatched, as usual, and beautiful yet heartbreaking.
The next track, “THE GREATEST,” follows in its footsteps and is where the album reaches its climax. It follows a similar pattern to the well-known “Happier Than Ever” with a slower start that eventually builds up to a heart-wrenching peak. Eilish once again shows the extent of her vocals and puts everything into belting out the bridge.
It’s hard to follow a song like “THE GREATEST,” but “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE,” or “the love of my life,” dials it back and keeps it simple. It’s a sad yet sweet song about realizing you’re not in love with your partner. The style is reminiscent of Eilish’s earlier works, such as the dont smile at me EP.
Similarly, the two following tracks, “THE DINER” and “BITTERSUITE” bring back the dangerous energy of her debut album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO. All of these tracks, despite having elements of her past, still showcase Eilish’s growth and don’t feel held back by the inclusion of her past styles.
The track, “BLUE” is a magnificent close to the album. “BLUE” combines two of Eilish’s unreleased songs, “True Blue,” which is featured in the first half, and “Born Blue,” which makes up the second half. “True Blue” was widely beloved by fans and was one of Eilish’s most well-known unreleased songs. This has drawn lots of popularity to “BLUE,” and with good reason. The song encapsulates the calming and suffocating feeling of being underwater.
Listening to this album is a truly beautiful experience. Whether you are a fan of Eilish’s music or not, you’ll likely find something for you in this album.
