(5 / 5)
Gracie Abrams’ highly anticipated third album “Daughter From Hell” delivers 16 very impressive tracks showcasing her signature gut-wrenchingly cathartic lyrics; a distinctively Gracie sound, but with a harder edge.
Since her debut in 2019, US star Gracie has built herself an adoring fanbase, amassing more than one 1.5 billion streams with her 2024 single “That’s So True”, and earning a Grammy nomination in 2024 for ‘Best New Artist’, and a second in 2025 for ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’, for her collaboration with Taylor Swift and their song “Us”.
Her 2023 debut album “Good Riddance” peaked at #three in the UK chart, while her second long player, 2024’s “The Secret of Us” claimed top spot in the UK chart. Her single “That’s So True” made # one in the UK and in the US.
Her own sold out arena tours, and her stand out performances opening for Taylor Swift on theblockbuster ‘The Eras Tour’, cemented 26-year-old Gracie as a force to be reckoned with and a voice for women of her generation and beyond.
For this record, Gracie co-wrote and co-produced all tracks, with Aaron Dessner (Taylor Swift, The National) co-writer on most and co-producer on all 16. She also brought in Audrey Hobert, as co-writer on “Minibar”, with whom she collaborated with on her second album “The Secret of Us”. The song “Imaginary Friend” on this new record was co-penned with her partner, actor Paul Mescal.
Marcus Mumford joins her on the penultimate cut, “What If It’s Right”, the sole track where I felt it maybe didn’t add value to the collection; and that Marcus didn’t bring anything unique to the song. But of course, some may well pick it as their favourite here. I just felt Gracie didn’t need any other voice on this album, as hers on these songs is a perfect fit on its own.
Listening through this record, it’s clear Gracie has found the right people to bring out her best work. Dessner’s influence is clear, but not overpowering; the lyrics are brutal in places, almost a stream of consciousness processing heartbreak. Gracie’s distinctive breathy falsetto vocals have more grit than her previous work, and she dials the intensity up and down with precision throughout the record as she tells each story.
Opener and lead single “Hit the Wall” sees Gracie at her most vulnerable, her voice almost trembling in the opening verse: “I want you so badly, but I close off”, the lyrics coming full circle: “sooner or later, you’ll find out. I live in a pattern of break downs”.
She delves deeper with “Look at My Life”, a classic Gracie formula of an uptempo song with devastating lyrics. She asks: “Do I look high-functioning or is my facade crumbling?”, as she goes through “a new spiral every night”.
Soulful piano ballad “Broke My Heart” showcases her deft lyricism:”How could you treat me like nothing to lose? No difference to you. But you just broke my heart”.
Another stand out, “Afflictions”, is a beautiful love song in disguise; describing her favourite aspects of her partner who made her “brave once again”, and became a safe place to land.
“Daughter From Hell” is is a stunning album that will delight her fans and is likely to impress those who may have previously underestimated her. Perhaps this will be the album that turns Grammy nominations into (deserved) coveted wins.
By Fran Parry
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’
(4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
Recent Comments