“Let me be your gateway drug,” Suki Waterhouse chants in the opening track of her newest album, “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin.”
If you’re looking for a pop artist who can fit into different styles and sounds as if they’re tailor-made, you may want to take her up on the offer and get acquainted.
Actress, model, and singer-songwriter Suki Waterhouse has been making music since 2016, though “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” is only her sophomore project. Of its 18 tracks, most are on the shorter side — coming in at around three minutes or so — but what Waterhouse’s songs lack in length, they make up for with sonic diversity and catchy, personal lyrics.
Nothing on the album strays too far from the boundaries of traditional pop music — song structure is consistent, vocals are solid but nothing revolutionary, and themes of heartbreak, young love, and self-discovery dominate most of the narrative. But Waterhouse uses the large tracklist of the “double album” format to try out a variety of sounds within the genre, resulting in an entertaining sampling of styles and vibes that are, for the most part, executed splendidly.
For me, the easy standout is “My Fun,” a playful, ’60s-inspired song about the joy of finally finding someone who loves you in a “fun” way. The song’s lyrics — “Take off my shoes and put yours on / They feel heavy, but I feel strong / Take a hike up to the top of the sun / God, it feels good to find someone / Who loves me” — twirl over a tastefully dated instrumental, featuring a rare welcome use of the recorder. Assuming Waterhouse was purposely experimenting with different sonic aesthetics on “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” to find the one that fits best, the summery, smiley styling of “My Fun” is undoubtedly a winner.
Other noteworthy songs include “Could’ve Been A Star” and “Model, Actress, Whatever,” which resemble the style of Waterhouse’s previous releases. Echoey, amplified guitars emulate the floatiness of “Good Looking,” the artist’s most successful song to date, but pack more of a lyrical punch, making for versatile tracks that will likely score well with old and new fans alike.
Waterhouse is even able to pull off one of the most egregiously late-2010s-core instrumentals I’ve heard in the past five years on “Blackout Drunk,” letting her catchy, bantering vocals distract from the fact that the song itself sounds like it was released at the beginning of the COVID epidemic.
Still, the great strength of “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” is also its greatest weakness, as some of its tracks come across as little more than unimpressive cosplays of bigger artists.
“Lawsuit” is a lackluster homage to Taylor Swift’s own most lackluster era (TTPD) — easily the album’s most forgettable song — while “Helpless” is a Lana Del Rey-esque ballad minus the smoky vocals and syrupy lyrics: So basically, bad. “Faded,” which does try to mimic del Rey’s lyricism, does so without the poetic flair that makes her songs appealing: “You used to call me Yoko / ‘Cause I made a joke that all your friends are leaving / And I’m your lover /…You look just like James Dean from the internet” — it takes more than name dropping celebrities and being sad to write a good Lana ripoff!
There are also a few instances of songs simply not being long enough to reach their full potential or exhibit Waterhouse’s grasp over the style. “Lullaby,” for example, is pleasant, but could greatly benefit from being longer than two minutes, as it barely gives listeners time to decide how they feel about the slow, somber tone that contrasts most of the album.
Overall, however, I’m not too concerned with “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” being a little bit messy and experimental. It’s refreshing to see artists releasing bodies of work — that they’re likely aware aren’t perfect — for the love of the craft; this idea ties neatly into what is quickly becoming Waterhouse’s brand: feminine, intimate, and a bit rough around the edges. Despite its flaws, “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” makes for easy listening, with enough artistry and emotion mixed in to keep it from feeling repetitive or uninspired — and if you don’t love it as a whole, you’ll probably be able to find at least one song that taps into something you like.
