Clairo — Sling Album Review
“I’m stepping inside a universe, designed against my own beliefs,” is a very fitting set of opening lines for a new Clairo album that sees her tear down what has made her popular thus far and completely rebuild her sound from the bottom up. Over the past few years, singer-songwriter Clairo has gained a lot of popularity, largely due to the success of lo-fi bedroom pop singles like “Flamin Hot Cheetos” & “Pretty Girl.”
Both of these songs were, and still are, quite enjoyable. Clairo has a soothing voice that fits the vibe of those tracks quite well, but when it was time for Clairo to put together a full-length album, we got Immunity in 2019, which was a mixed bag. The album lacked a clear direction for what it wanted to be, and while there are decent standout tracks like “Bags,” there are some duds on there and questionable decisions throughout the album.
This new album though, Sling, sounds very cohesive while almost completely abandoning all the ideas that made Immunity a forgettable experience for me. Sling has Clairo teaming up with veteran producer Jack Antonoff, and the end result is an album with a defined sound that sees Clairo grow on all fronts as a singer, a songwriter, and a lyricist.
Sling is by no means a pop album like her previous work, instead, we get a very traditional sounding singer-songwriter project with elements of folk music. It’s easy to draw comparisons to artists such Joni Mitchell, Carole King, or Elliot Smith, as well as Clairo’s contemporary Phoebe Bridgers. This album also reminds me quite a bit of Taylor Swift’s Folklore, which was notably also produced by Jack Antonoff, but without some of the pop elements that Swift retained on that record.
So Sling is not the most groundbreaking record to ever be released, it isn’t going to change the course of music or create any trends that didn’t already exist. The subdued approach taken here does lead to some of the tracks blending together and struggling to stand out from one another, thankfully interesting lyrical themes are here to keep the songs separate from one another. Also worth noting, there are moments on the album where Clairo’s voice could’ve been more pronounced and can feel drowned out in the mix with the instrumentation, but that’s about as far as my complaints of Sling go. Make no mistake, this is a massive step forward for Clairo as an artist and a remarkably well-executed take on the style of music presented here.
It does come as a bit of surprise that Clairo was so quick to abandon the bedroom pop style that has brought her success thus far, but this new sound fits her calming but strong voice extremely well. Perhaps the catchiest thing you’ll find on here is “Amoeba,” a song in which Clairo reflects on her personal priorities since becoming more ingrained in the music industry. The chorus here is much groovier than the rest of the album, but like everything else on the record, the instrumentation is much warmer and more detailed than anything I’ve heard from Clairo before. Most of the instruments on Sling are played by either Jack Antonoff or Clairo herself. Clairo’s dog, “Joanie Cottrill,” also gets a percussion credit on the track “Joanie,” which is both adorable and fitting considering how much of a muse she seems to be for Clairo on this record, but I digress. Despite the low-key approach this album takes, there is a lot going on here that’s easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention.
The intro sets the tone for the album beautifully. Lyrically the song addresses the feeling of being thrust into the industry and questioning where to go, as well as the growth she is gaining with age and new experiences, two themes that go on to hold importance throughout the album. “Zinnias” is both a reflection of the past and an idealization of the future, the idea of settling down can be quite appealing. I just can’t get enough of this song, starting the song with a single verse then ending with a repeated chorus may seem like a simple song structure, but it creates a satisfying experience by the end of the song.
My first taste of this album was the lead single, “Blouse,” another soft song, featuring background vocals from none other than Lorde, in which Clairo addresses the important topic of being sexualized in professional environments. Her voice sounds defeated, it’s painful to hear someone talk about these types of experiences that I am sure far too many women have gone through.
“Wade” is another sad and pretty track with an instrumental that guides Clario’s poetic lyrics perfectly. There are these layered instrumental pieces that are lush and vibrant, then the instrumental reels itself back in again while Clair sings as if to remind the listener to pay attention to what Clairo is saying. There’s a lot of depth to what she is saying and a lot of layers to figure out. “Harbor” opens with the lyrics:
“Okay, I’m finished now
And I kept my faith for long enough
And I hope I’m old and fairly sober
If I’m let down”
as if to say prepare the listener and Clairo herself for a difficult conversation over a very piano-driven ballad. Like other songs on this album, there isn’t a chorus on this song, but that doesn’t make it feel any less complete.
“Just For Today” reflects on sadness, depression, anxiety, etc. Common themes of Gen Z songwriters, as well as artists throughout human history, and Clairo captures the feeling as perfectly as anyone. It very much has to do with Clario’s experiences personally, but how personal it is is what makes it relatable, once again on this album I can feel the pain in Clairo’s voice.
considering how much Clairo’s singing and lyrics are a highlight of the album, “Joanie” is a pretty enough instrumental track that fits well on the album and doesn’t kill the momentum much at all, rather setting up the last leg of the record nicely. Next, there is “Reaper,” another mature and introspective look at Clairo’s future, as well as her doubts and anxieties around the idea of becoming a mother & provider for her own family. The cycle of going from a child to a parent with children of your own is interesting to look at. “Little Changes” seems to be about being manipulated and asked to change as a person, but being mature enough to find peace in breaking away from the relationships and people that don’t accept Clairo for who she is as a person.
The album closes with “Management,” a fitting endpiece that contains the most intense musical moments on the album. The album ends with a bang, well about as much of a bang as such a quiet and soft album can end with. The song doesn’t sound out of place by any means but picks up enough in grandeur to feel right as a send-off for the record. The album wraps up very nicely and feels like a complete and full experience by the end of it.
Sling is in a lot of ways an artistic risk and step forward that works out nicely for Clairo. She seems to be finding her sound and growing into it as an artist perfectly. Front to back, Sling is a soft but phenomenal album that sees Clairo begin to realize her full potential as an artist.
Favorite tracks: Bambi, Amoeba, Partridge, Zinnias, Blouse, Wade, Harbor, Just For Today, Reaper, Little Changes, Management
