Album Review: Fenne Lily - 'Big Picture'
Fenne Lily is evocative and bold on her rich, layered new record Big Picture.
The singer-songwriter from Bristol has made a return with her third studio album Big Picture, and with it she continues her run of flawless albums. It differs slightly to her previous records, carrying a more jovial tone, but is definitely not without deep cuts.
Lily’s debut album On Hold was released in 2018, and she toured with Lucy Dacus the same year. Her sophomore album Breach arrived in September 2020 and was also incredibly well received. Both of those albums are more focused on the end of a relationship, whereas Big Picture deals with a relationship in its current state, so there are a few songs that are lighter and filled with hope, alongside tracks that are laced with cynicism and doubts.
Opening with Map of Japan, the record is off to a phenomenal start. Bass notes thrum confidently before drums and guitar come in. The song sets the tone for the album incredibly well and paints a crystal-clear picture. “It’s not working out this time/But you’re putting up a pretty good fight” She sings resignedly. A huge guitar heavy with reverb and distortion strums after the chorus, creating layers and depths and evoking feelings of melancholy and empathy. “I framed you a map of Japan/If I ever go, I’m taking you with me” Lily tells whoever she’s singing to plainly. Despite it being the first track on the album, it is certainly a highlight.
Next, we come to the two singles, Dawncolored Horse and Lights Light Up. The former is a track that seems to be written about, or possibly for, somebody going through a tough time.“So it’s alright if you don’t want a shoulder/If you don’t wanna get over it all” She sings. It’s a comforting song, with gorgeous guitar work and Fenne’s hushed vocals pushing it forwards. Then, the lead single Lights Light Up lightens the mood a little. It’s a beautiful, realistic love song about a good relationship in the present, rather than reminiscing about a past one or fretting about what the future might bring. A guitar line runs throughout the song, pulsating a little, almost like a heart itself. “And he said “So, do you ever wanna leave here?”/And she said “Well, that depends on the day” she sings during the chorus, a snapshot of a conversation between the two people.
2+2 is next and is a stark contrast to Lights Light Up tonally. It is open and honest and sees the narrator pondering over a relationship and how they are not always simple and easy. “I guess I don’t really know what I’m waiting for/I could have everything and still want more”Lily sings, calling herself out. The outro sounds mantra-like, possibly asking the person she’s singing about to stay with her.
Superglued is another song on the lighter side, also seemingly about falling for someone. “I was in the business of letting go/Then you came around and put me out of the job” Lilysings softly, a poetic way of putting it.
Lily’s albums are always incredibly personal, filled with lyrics that only she could write. OnHenry, a song clearly so personal it almost feels like we’re intruding as listeners, her voice is heavy with emotion that seeps out of the track. So many of these songs sound like inner monologues, and I don’t think it would be unreasonable to say that most people, irrelevant of age, gender, background, will be able to relate to her words.
Red Deer Day sounds like a song you would write for yourself, to convince your mind that you are going to be okay. It has lyrical and tonal similarities to Boygenius’ Me & My Dog. “Tell your brother that I’ll be alright, or I will be in time” she sings, repeating ‘in time’.
The album finishes with the outstanding Half Finished, and it may well be the most personal and painfully honest song on the record. “I tried figuring out what you’re singing about/I hope it’s not something I’ve done” she sings during the first verse. Sonically, the track is soft and gentle, almost as if the production doesn’t want to overshadow the heart-wrenching lyrics. “I told you I loved you and mean it completely/I just can’t say the same to myself” she delivers one of the most hard-hitting lines of her entire discography.
Big Picture is a triumph. It sees one of the best songwriters in the industry at her absolute best; unafraid to deliver truths and brave enough to put her own emotions into words.
Words by Lucy Skeet
