Album Review: WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO
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Album Review: WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO

My honest review of Billie Eilish's debut album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO.

Olivia Albert
Apr 18, 2019
The Ohio State University
318
Billie Eilish
Instagram

Billie Eilish just released her debut album and I have not been able to stop listening. I had never listened to Eilish's music before, somewhat refusing to conform to the norms. But I thought I'd give her a chance, and now I'm hooked. Take a look at my thoughts on this innovative album.

!!!!!!!

This is an...interesting introduction, to say the least. I like that Eilish is able to open up her very vulnerable album with some humor and personality. The 13-second audio clip shares Eilish taking out her Invisalign, something most people do before bed; this is another reference to the album title.

bad guy

Opening up the album, this villainous tune grabs your attention immediately. It keeps a pretty steady, bass-heavy beat until the breakdown. The outro drives home the scary and villain persona Eilish creates with this track.

xanny

This is a complete left turn from the previous track. Eilish's vocals are so airy and haunting that getting goosebumps is inevitable. This track has some of the best production I have ever heard. It mimics a high of the drugs she talks about in the song with its crawl and unexpected beats.

you should see me in a crown

Eilish took all of her angst and threw it into this song. It literally sounds like the song that plays in the movies when a character is getting their revenge by setting fire to a car or bashing in windows or something. Definitely going to be the anthem for a lot of people's breakups.

all the good girls go to hell

The juxtaposition in this track is crazy. It is definitely one of the more upbeat ones on the album, but the concept is dark. It fulfills everyone's pop-punk cravings. I can't help but think this is a stance against religion. Yet, Eilish confirmed that it is about climate change...definitely did not get that message.

wish you were gay

There was a ton of controversy around the message of this song, but it's a lot simpler than people think. Eilish can't accept not being someone's type and not get the same amount of attention she gives, so she wishes this guy was gay to spare her pride. It's the perfect "it's not you, it's me."

when the party's over

This track swirls sadness and anger, amplified by the melancholy tone and booming chorus. You can hear the pain in Eilish's voice and the disappointment in her lyrics. This is definitely one of the more mellow tracks, but the message is extremely relatable and well-thought.

8

Want to know a genius marketing strategy? Track number eight is titled "8." This track sounds like it could have been recorded when Eilish was 8 years old with its higher pitch and ukulele backing. However, the lyrics are extremely sad. It's difficult what the message of this song is with the juxtaposition of tones.

my strange addiction

Yeah, so she put clips of my favorite episode of The Office, Threat Level Midnight, so obviously I love this song. The beat mimics that of the music backing Michael Scott's "Do The Scarn" song. Eilish is definitely comparing her love to an addiction, so I'm not really sure why she included The Office, but it definitely gets people talking.

bury a friend

This track keeps you on your toes. Its extremely haunting message coupled with the layered harmonies here and there is something else. Sounds travel from ear to ear to create this isolation and trapped feeling. Eilish created a full experience with this song.

ilomilo

Based off of Eilish's favorite childhood game, this song is by far my favorite. The beat sounds exactly like a video game adventure; you can hear the journey, like that of the "ilomilo" game. The techno bits make it much different than all of the other tracks.

listen before i go

Stripped down to vocals and piano, this song amps up the vulnerability of this album. Eilish seems to start disappearing, but, with some faint storm and street noises in the background, some life is brought to this chilling track.

i love you

Another stripped-down track, Eilish finally hits a sweet spot in her album. You can hear her struggle to escape these emotions, but she is eventually overcome when she hears "I love you."

goodbye

With clips from every song, Eilish creates the perfect finish line for this rollercoaster of an album. Going from the end to the beginning, she reminds us that this is not the end.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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