Rise And Fall Of a Midwestern Princess: An Album Review

Twisting and unexpected. An album requested by Fred and Indigo, RFAMP is an album created by Chappell Roan. Normally my introductions have an insight into the album but I think I’ll develop it more as I listen to the album and my conclusion.

Femininonomenon

Hm. It’s beat switchups and personality is the only reason why I’m satisfied with this song. The lyrics are dead ass goofy at times but it fits its genre. I prefer the more raw parts of the song rather the parts with the beats because it feels so out of pocket and almost unnecessary. Lyrically, it’s solid, I wasn’t expecting to see brain numbing Taylor Swift lyrics but yet again that’s a low hurdle to cross. All in all, it’s not a song I’d particularly want to listen to again but it’s not a bad song. Female something something is a rough 5.

Red Wine Supernova:

Now this is getting to some good stuff. It blew me away and that’s a good thing. I was instantly surprised to see such a massive quality jump, it’s cringe undertones were wiped away with groove, life, and personality. There’s a certain distinct flavour Roan adds to this song and I like it a lot. It feels rustic and has a very rough aesthetic. Its instrumentals are simple yet groovy, song structure is solid, and maintains a lot of energy. Red Wine Supernova is a 7.

After Midnight

 Its opening is really good. The beats slowly emerge to the centre of the track, and besides being basic, maintains a nice balance of simplicity and enjoyability. The singing at times is a little off but I think it just makes the song feel more authentic and “real”. The vocals are mixed incredibly well, it still displays the vibrancy of her voice without making it too unfiltered. Its chorus is really catchy and the high notes are very good. This song however feels like an imitation of Red Wine Supernova and gives off the exact same vibes. Like it’s a good song but if the rest of the songs all sound like this then fuck me. After Midnight is a strong 6.

Coffee

Ok, I guess I kinda asked for it when I said all the songs sound the same. This ballad comes in so unexpected in the record but its done very well. All energy is dropped and instead replaced with smooth piano and sombre vocals. The lyrics are beautiful and so is the instrumentals. The song feels like if Lana Del Ray got her vocal chords replaced with an angel. The song is moving, powerful, and a breath of fresh air from the first 3 songs. Coffee is an 8.

Casual

Empty. The song hangs onto a faint thread of hope as the ending of the song barely saves this song from a scathing review. The guitars are bland and it really explains the rest of the track. It feels like a static wet mess. It drags out and feels drowning to listen to. Even the high notes feel out of whack and sounds like they’re dying on this track. I can see why it has a lot of listens, I just don’t see myself ever listening to this track again. The buildup is so slow and even the climax isn’t worth it. You can’t just out everything together at the end and then trick the audience into thinking its cinematic when its so tacky. Its all show and no actual substance. Casual is a casual 5.

Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl

The beats are out of whack. I don’t fuck with these beats, its so clubby, and the vibes it creates is so stale. The soft talk-singing is weak as shit and this is overall a wet fart. Even the “la-la-la-la’s” are so iffy to me and the chorus is so out of place. The verses feel like they belong in a different song. The chorus is so bright and flashy its just so weird seeing club beats and 808s being brought in. SGUMG is a really rough 6.

HOT TO GO!

I lowkey fuck with this song. Till its opening till its ending, the energy remains fun and quirky and its overall such a fun song. The opening chant is so bubbly and fun, this song is such a better track to listen to than SGUMG. I don’t really have much to say to this track but I just wanna say its fun and displays the creativity of this track. A strong 7.

My Kink is Karma. It’s a strong 8. I like the beats, I like the control of sound, and the lyrics are enjoyable.

Picture You

What seems to be the most underrated track on the record, Picture You is a strong 9. I just love songs with guitar and really good singing. The story it tells through its lyrics and the vocal delivery is just so nice. The tonal shifts of the track brings so much sadness to the track but it still remains uplifting. It does so many things at the same time and its paying off so well. A perfect ballad to a really solid album, Picture You is one of my favourite tracks on the album. Its vast difference to its opening track really makes me happy as it displays the broadness of Roan’s talent. The ending is honestly ethereal. A strong 9.

Pink Pony Club

I don’t think I understand the lyrics so the story to me is a little feeble. However, the instrumentals are really nice. Song structure is very solid and despite being in the latter half of the record, the track manages to maintain a strong level of quality and enjoyability. Its guitar solo at the end elevates the song to a very adequate degree and reaches a level of a worthy score when Roan’s ad-libs enter the track. A solid 8.

Unfortunately, Naked In Manhattan and California are forgetful, they aren’t bad songs by any means, they’re just insignificant and only add to the tracklist of the album. Those two songs are about a 7 maybe?

Oh boy. Guilty Pleasure does not hit the needle on the head for a solid ending track. Its not a bad song I guess, I just wanted more. Theres so much fluctuating energy throughout this entire record and I just think the ending falls flat. This genre of music is something I don’t really listen to or want to listen to but Roan has helped me digest some of these new ideas and embrace the colourful and vibrant world of the midwestern princes. Some of these songs on the album are actual fun bangers with high energy while also being captivating and breathtaking with its ballads and sad songs. There is a lot of creativity and ingenuity on the record its just unfortunately it falls flat as its plagued with redundant tracks and repetitive songs. The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess is a weak 5.

I get it now. Its an 8.