The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess＜限定盤/Coloured Vinyl＞

米ミズーリ州出身のシンガーソングライター。敬虔なクリスチャンの家庭で育った彼女は幼いころからエンターテイナーになる夢を抱きYouTubeにオリジナル曲を投稿し、2017 年にメジャー・デビューEPをリリース。知名度を上げたきっかけとなったデビュー・アルバム『The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess』の1周年を記念したアイテム。現在アメリカで最も注目を浴びるアーティストとして、今月行われた米ロラパルーザ・フェスティバルでは、同フェス史上最大級の歴史的な集客となり米音楽シーンでは大きな話題となっている。

Chappell Roans first studio full-length, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, is an absolute breath of fresh air in a crowded pop landscape. Playful, a little naughty, and full of heart, this debut brims with spirited pop gems that stick in the brain long after the album is finished. Blending the youthful Gen Z delivery of Olivia Rodrigo, the best-friend-approachability of Taylor Swift, and the songcraft of Maggie Rogers, Roan is the main draw here, taking whatever producer Dan Nigro (Kylie, Rodrigo, Caroline Polachek) throws at her and making it irresistible. Opener "Femininomenon" perfectly captures the albums ethos as it transforms from a sweet, string-laden ballad into a pulse-pounding empowerment anthem punctuated by a mid-song pep talk and hilariously escalating adlibs demanding a "fucking beat." From there, its a nonstop flood of catchy, synth-backed anthems that could lay waste to mainstream radio if given the chance. The playfully horny "Red Wine Supernova" rides a bubbly beat, Roans pure voice and the girl gang background vocals boost the energy, and the funky strut of the confident, boyfriend-stealing "After Midnight" turns the lights down low as Roan purrs that "everything good happens after midnight." Taking Taylors Midnights hit one step further, Roan takes aim at an ex on the sardonic, synth-laden "My Kink Is Karma," where she finds pleasure in the little things like watching them "ruin [their] life... losing [their] mind... [and] crashing [their] car." Theres a handful of delicate ballads ("Coffee," "Casual," "Picture You," "Kaleidoscope") peppered amongst the pogo-bounce singalongs ("HOT TO GO!" and early hit "Pink Pony Club") that offer a few moments of rest while the party continues. On an album packed with highlights, standouts include the 80s-synth throwback "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" -- a cowbell-laden, late-night party saga that explodes with one of the most rousing choruses on Midwest Princess -- and the closer, "Guilty Pleasure," which mirrors the opening tracks quiet-to-loud approach, morphing from warm dream pop into pulsing electro-pop. Bold and fearless, Chappell Roans The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is the best kind of pop album: it captures a generational zeitgeist and introduces the world to a refreshing new voice that can hopefully stand the test of time and a fickle industry. ~ Neil Z. Yeung