Madison Beer just released her third studio album “Locket” through Epic Records. This album features three of her most recent singles and it seems to be the start of a new era for the singer/songwriter. With the release of this album, she seems to be transitioning to an EDM meets pop vibe in the beginning, but towards the core of the tracklist it feels more mysterious and creates a unique subversion of pop music which is a huge difference from her last album which was released nearly three years ago. This is a rating of the entire album track by track, to dissect every song from the vibe they give, all the way down to the lyrics and overall meaning behind each one.
The album starts off with “Locket Theme,” a short ballad song. This song is somewhat sad and sounds similar to “Sincerely” by Nessa Barrett when it comes to the whole vibe, setting an emotional tone, reeling you into the album. It sounds like a movie trailer track for a sad romance film and its orchestral vibe is pretty heavenly. There’s also a heavy emphasis on reverb and echo for the vocals here. Madison herself even co-produced it, which if you read the credits before listening could foreshadow that this album will be both polished and deeply personal.
Unlike all the singles she released for the album, “Locket Theme” has none of the dance-pop vibes, a surprise for some hardcore fans. A bold start for the album, it’s not every day people start their albums off with a ballad; usually ballads are the second track, but we can see Madison is moving away from the standard template most musicians of her caliber follow.
From the locket theme, the cute and quiet ballad, we go straight into full on dance pop. “Yes Baby” feels like an R&B combined with a dance pop track. This song was built for night clubs and raves. A startling track after the calmer “Locket Theme”, Beer’s breathy vocals and catchy “Yes, baby, yes” hook give it a flirty vibe. This production definitely gives off EDM vibes with synths and an 808 rather than any real bass or drums, making it feel like a night out in NYC. In fact, it recalls some of Ariana Grande’s most anthemic pop songs. Madison even performed “Yes Baby” at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show! Given its mainstream pop vibes, it’s an incredibly addictive audio to use for edits.
“Angel Wings” switches the mood once again–this album is definitely a rollercoaster. It has a 90s R&B beat and a FL Studio organ. This song has some of the album’s best writing. She paints a breakup as a funeral with this line, “Dead to me… When I talk about you, I’ll say ‘rest in peace’”. The implication seems literal, she’s essentially saying her ex is dead to her and out of her life forever. Madison can only pretend they’ve been “sent to the sky with angel wings.” The chorus line “It’s easier pretending you have angel wings” is both pretty savage and poetic, and you can really hear the anger in Madison’s voice too. In terms of style, this song low-key has a Siouxsie Sioux-like goth vibe. The lyrics about angels and death are heavy in terms of wordplay, yet Beer floats it on a beautiful melody.
As for the next 4 tracks, they all share a similar pop vibe. They’re definitely good songs, but there is little else to them that makes them stand out. Track 8, “bittersweet” turns this around. This may be considered locket’s centerpiece. The sound mixing here is absolutely amazing, with a smooth synth bass taking the main loop spot which is usually reserved for a guitar or piano or another commonly melodic instrument.. This song fits its title by giving both a sad and uplifting tone.
Madison’s lyrics encapsulate the mixed feelings of letting go, saying “I know I should be bitter, but baby, right now I’m bittersweet”. That catchy line nails the emotional paradox she’s saying that she’s proud to let go of anger, but there’s still a sweet nostalgia floating around. Her vocal performance is incredible here, constantly switching from soft and gentle to strong and almost having this demanding feeling to her vocals. This track is one of the most mature on the album, balancing sadness and hope in equal measure. “Bittersweet” could even be compared to one of Adele’s earlier ballads (but with a modern EDM vibe).
“Make You Mine” was the Grammy-nominated lead single for “Best Dance Pop Recording” and it still pops on the album. There is truly no other way to describe it other than saying “It eats.” Lyrically, “Make You Mine” is more optimistic than much of locket, Madison sings about finally winning someone’s heart, expanding on the “wanna be with you” theme from earlier songs. Production-wise it’s a straight-up hit, and that’s it. It’s a great song. Amazing even. One could argue it owes a debt to Ariana Grande’s ‘nightclubbing’ anthems like “Break Free,” given its big synths and catchy “make you mine” hook.
Yet nothing about the song truly feels derivative from other bit hit songs, it feels unique in its own way. It shows that Madison Beer can do radio-friendly pop just as well as anyone else. Closing the album is “nothing at all,” a cute little piano ballad finale. It starts soft, just piano and a simple synth then mid-song a beat comes in for you to vibe too (it doesn’t compare to make you mine though). The feeling is fragile yet triumphant. Lyrically it summarizes locket’s emotional arc. This song gives off the vulnerable and calming Billie Eilish vibe. The ending is pretty peaceful, and it leaves you feeling like she’s freed herself from the “locket” of memories. It’s a beautiful and bittersweet conclusion that ties together the album’s themes of memory, loss, and self-love.
Overall, “locket” feels like Madison Beer is freeing herself from her past. Each track shows a different facet of her artistry. The differences between “yes baby” and “angel wings,” all the way to the vulnerable feeling of “nothing at all” is broad, capturing a wide range of emotions. Production-wise, she is clearly confident with a polished consistency while keeping each song distinct. Compared to her past albums, the switch between ballads and EDM pop princess hits is quite new for the style she has established for herself previously.
