Album: Obsolescent Adolescence by Charise Sowells

The debut album from the amazing songwriter Charise Sowells comes years after her work behind the scenes as a sole writer for other artists. And just like every songwriter who’s had a breakthrough with a strong debut, “Obsolescent Adolescent” left me with the impression that it’s an album that will take the music scene by storm. Let me dissect the album’s 12 tracks for you and tell you what makes each of them special.

1- Morning Breath

A strong opener that showcases most of the songwriting tendencies Charise has, but not all of them. Her singing has a delicate balance between being vulnerable and strong/clear due to the way she enunciates every word to give it more emotional weight. The song has heavily distorted guitars against some simple drum lines (even rim shots at certain points) which made an amazing contradiction. Another quality I really appreciate about her technique is how she adds twang and attitude while still remaining accurate when hitting the notes. It seems that she put her years of experience and dedication into making this album 10 times better. 

2- Heartbreak Town

This one has a bit of industrial, a bit of cinematic, and lots of RnB/Soul elements. The vocals are mostly breathy head voice with a hint of distortion, bringing a lot of blues nostalgia. On paper, this mix of trip-hop and blues guitar doesn’t sound as joyous as the song itself does. I was really amazed by the blend.

3- Bedroom Eyes

Following its predecessor, this track has more hip-hop and trip-hop vibes with recurring guitar lines that keep a retro element amidst an otherwise modern and fresh composition. The low-pitched and grounded chesty vocals of Charise are full of attitude and theatricality at the same time. The midsection of the song has an extended and strong ethereal vocal line, and that’s rare to be found in modern music.

4- I Never Loved You

If Neo-Noir was a music genre instead of a movie genre, then this track is definitely what it would sound like. The ominous flute, the lo-fi production, the soft vocals, and practically every element about this song will transfer you into a dream-like state where you’ll both feel bedazzled and separated from the outside world.

5- Magical Month

More ethereal vocals here. This track has the same cool elements as before, but it’s the first time we have a tangible similarity to the style of music and vocals of Lana Del Rey. The track works as a movie soundtrack, part of a musical, and even as a standalone pop number. It succeeds on multiple fronts and captures more than one vibe perfectly. 

6- Even Grace Ages

This song is led by a percussive synth and some occasional samples and clean guitar lines. The vocals are once again soft and dreamy, and the recurring backing vocals remind me a lot of Lorde…to be more precise, this is what a collaboration between Two Feet and Lorde would sound like. There’s a beautiful mini-solo near the end too, moments like these are what really make this record strong.

7- Twilight Hour

The album’s lengthiest and most immersive track. One could get lost for hours in the way this progression and its accompanying vocal lines can lure you in and never let go of you. You know a song is successful when you feel like it reminds you of an artist, but you can’t remember who. The song is influenced by so many elements and artists but copies little to none and feels highly fresh and original…this will probably be the most remarkable and commercially successful song of the bunch.

8- Still Waiting

There seems to be no end to the surprises and creativity on this record. A track with melodic guitars, a great bass line, and electronic percussion…it’s a mix of many elements that we’ve been exposed to on previous tracks. The layering of the soft vocals and Charise’s wailing will get stuck in your head for days on end.

9- I Am The Universe

An almost completely electronic track with more focus on the lower-range vocals this time around. You could sneak this track into a darkwave or dark industrial playlist and no one would feel like it doesn’t belong there. The fact that we are nine tracks in and she still won’t stop experimenting with new elements and genres makes me amazed by her creativity….I mean who would’ve thought about putting a marimba in the middle of this dark synth-pop number?

10- Pura Vida

A jiggly and dance-inducing bass line leads this song into being a highly experimental track, especially with the drums and added percussion being irregular and polyrhythmic. This one was probably made for the music nerds.

11- Validate Me

Take the wailing vocals from the cinematic tracks, the bass line, and samples from the electronic ones, and add some phenomenal guitar work…and you get this track that’s equal parts electronic and blues rock. I really can’t get enough of the drumline and how it makes me shake my head in a movement that’s somewhere between swaying and headbanging. This rhythm packs a truly awesome vibe.

12- Better Day

An uplifting soft rock track. Truly didn’t expect them to make a track that only has these instruments without the electronic samples…and it’s even more mindblowing that they made the song sound this amazing with the guitars, keys, and vocals only. This track beautifully closes the album but leaves the listener wanting to hear more from Charise and see how far the reach of her experimentation extends.