Score : 4.5 / 10
New York singer-songwriter sadie’s debut album, Better Angels, arrives as an intimate 19-minute exploration of heartbreak following the end of a ten-year relationship. While the project layout promises a cathartic journey through bedroom-pop and classical piano, the execution falls short, delivering a mixed bag that struggles to leave a lasting impression.
The undisputed highlight of the album is its instrumentation. Musically, sadie showcases an impressive command of atmosphere. The sonic backdrop is beautifully crafted, seamlessly blending elegant, stripped-back classical piano melodies with subtle electronic textures. Tracks like « Red Sky » and the title track feature sophisticated arrangements that build a genuinely compelling, melancholic mood. On a purely instrumental level, the album reaches a high standard.
Unfortunately, the vocal performance fails to match the quality of the music. The vocal lines feel remarkably flat and uninspired, relying on predictable melodies that do not do justice to the emotional weight of a decade-long breakup. Instead of soaring or cutting deep, the vocal delivery remains frustratingly mundane and monotonous.
This issue is severely compounded by the heavy use of Auto-Tune. While vocal processing can be a powerful artistic tool, here it completely backfires. By drowning the vocals in digital correction, sadie strips away the raw vulnerability essential to bedroom-pop. Instead of feeling like an organic, deeply personal diary entry, the record ends up feeling cold and artificial. The excessive digital polish acts as a barrier, preventing the listener from truly connecting with the underlying pain of the lyrics.
Ultimately, Better Angels boasts strong musical foundations, but it is deeply weighed down by generic vocal writing and a synthetic production choice that kills its organic soul.