Betty Who- Take Me When You Go (ALBUM REVIEW)

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bettywholpBasically, Betty Who grooved on to the scene last year with her varsity jacket and Chuck Taylors and hasn’t stopped moving. Although radio has yet to latch on to Who and her bombastic brand of 80s-infused anthems, reputable music blogs and Tumblr tweens alike have celebrated her unabashed approach to songwriting and melody. After releasing two filler-free EPs, Who’s much-anticipated debut LP Take Me When You Go maintains her penchant for blissful vocals atop choruses of handclaps and walls of retro synths.

Only four tracks from the previously released EPs made the cut, and they’re arguably among her best offerings. The first, future day-drinking anthem “High Society,” is everything that makes Betty Who one of the most promising pop startups on the scene. The song builds to an anthemic chorus about drinking “Chardonnay through the day cuz we say so.” It pairs nicely with the similarly upbeat “Somebody Loves You,” an unconditional love song that went viral when it was used for a gay couple’s proposal.

The clear predecessor to Betty Who’s tales of high school romance is Katy Perry’s sophomore effort Teenage Dream. With Perry’s album, specifically with the title track, feelings of nostalgia sprout from carefree lyrics and songs made for shouting over in a car with your friends. Who captures that teenage feeling and amplifies it by turning every knob until it stops; she transforms heartbreak into something that makes you dance instead of wanting to rip down romantic memories from your walls.

Listening to songs like powerhouse track “Glory Days” and the euphoric “Heartbreak Dream” makes it all the more surprising and welcomed when Who turns down lights and delivers the more tender moments of the album. The blessing and curse of Betty Who is that while she’s excellent at crafting songs built with glimmering synths and punchy beats, the sound tends to blend over the course of an entire album. The first song to shift gears is “Missing You,” a love-stricken song with robotic harmonics and Phil Collins flourishes. On Sarah McLachlan-esque album closer “California Rain,” Who slows it down even further with a smoldering, post-campfire calm. She reminds us that not only can she evoke the perfect metaphors for teenage bliss via crush songs, but Betty Who is an accomplished vocalist. “You let me down like California Rain,” perfectly emoted with her Australian accent.

If Who hopes to capture a larger audience with her music, she has ample opportunity with an upcoming opening slot on Katy Perry’s Australian tour. She also has the power of Internet buzz that will absolutely make the album a word-of-mouth success. Perhaps future efforts will show more diversity in Betty Who’s style, but until then we’ll be dancing right along with her.

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