By Lauren Zazzara
Staff Writer
If you are a Gossip Girl fan, you know the name Leighton Meester.
You will probably be surprised to hear that preppy, snobby and scheming Blair Waldorf has released an indie pop album.
On Oct. 27, Meester released “Heartstrings,” a nine-track album loaded with chill and beautiful music.
The title track, and the first one on the album, begins with a moderate tempo, thoughtful guitar strumming and a steady drum beat to push the melody along. Meester’s voice is breathy and dreamy, hitting impressively high notes as she depicts a tale of an ungrateful lover with the lyrics, “I heard that you’re sorry now but that’s what you wanted / You took me for granted all the time.” Most impressively, her voice is loaded with emotion, expressed through scoops in notes, subtle dynamic changes and gentle accents. The end of the song switches to a more California-vibe with a whining electric guitar.
The best track is the fourth, titled “Sweet.” The song begins with minor guitar chords, and Meester’s voice comes in with haunting lyrics such as “My mind is racing / I’m going for overdose/ My body is shaking / And I want more.”
The track’s “Good for One Thing” and “L.A.” differentiate themselves from the other songs on the album as they are in more upbeat keys. Hand clapping gives “Good for One Thing” a folky feel, whereas “L.A.” begins with a cheery bell melody that creates a light-hearted atmosphere. The drums are vital to building up the melody to a swelling chorus complete with background voices and strings.
Meester’s music is similar to Lana del Rey’s in that it has an undertone of sadness. Meester doesn’t quite have the vocal range or variety of techniques that del Rey does, but she has a similar talent of successfully reaching high notes and sounding natural doing so. At times, Meester’s voice also sounds a bit like Feist’s, another indie singer, in the way that she conveys emotion.
A couple of flaws of the album include the song-writing and lack of variety. Without Meester’s skillful voice and intimate sound conveyed by the instrumentation, the lyrics would fall flat as they can be a bit repetitive at times. The vibe of the songs, a California-dreaming, relaxed and ethereal atmosphere, is also repeated in all of the songs. They all blend together if you aren’t really paying attention.
The album is like beautiful background music, perfect for studying or relaxing. Heartstrings can be your soundtrack for finals week.
