Album Review: girl in red - 'if i could make it go quiet'
Switch out those rose-tinted glasses and start seeing red.
Norwegian act girl in red has come back from the success of her EPs Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 with her fascinating debut full-length if i could make it go quiet. girl in red, a project fronted by musician Marie Ulven, has been praised in the late 2010s for her indie sound and her songs surrounding mental well-being, love and coming to terms with one’s own sexuality; and she ups her already impressive talents in her debut album.
One of the first singles, ‘midnight love’, is a beautifully sung story of being someone’s “silver” when that someone is your “gold”. Ulven’s soothing voice sings the pain and the wanting, fighting as she doesn’t want to be a “midnight love”, a “consolation prize” to someone she holds so dear to herself. She highlights the habitual truth of always going back to someone who will settle for what you would fight for.
The album changes tones throughout, as the next track is ‘You Stupid Bitch’, which takes a more up-tempo take on love and instead of trying to part ways with someone, it’s convincing someone to get closer. Ulven singing out “you stupid bitch, can’t you see?” is a very modern tongue-in-cheek way of confessing your love and adoration for someone who cannot see it for themselves. A lyrical slap across the face to make someone realise - which is sometimes what can make someone come to their senses and see the glowing red truth in front of them.
One of Ulvan’s most notable tracks about mental health is ‘Serotonin’, which takes the deeper bass and faster beat to seemingly interpret the body’s response to mental illness. The lyrics highlight true elements of anxiety and depression - a lack of serotonin - such as “intrusive thoughts” and being “terrified of what’s inside” one’s own mind during breakdowns or episodes. It comes across uplifting and positive musically, but the lyrics and Ulvan’s own way of speaking shows the truth behind what is usually a complex and disturbing illness in life that too many people deal with.
‘if i could make it go quiet’ is the next notch up from girl in red’s previous releases, while still highlighting important themes and situations many people deal with; no matter the age, gender or sexual orientation. It’s an important listen for people who want to chill out and have that company during their lonely nights.
Maybe seeing red isn’t all that bad after all.
Words by Jo Cosgrove