Scenery
by Emily King
Pop/Rock King
I found this album while looking for something to put on down in media, and I was instantly blown away. As the first track (“Remind Me”) came out of the speakers and fell upon my ready ears, I started grooving through the rest of my work day and didn’t stop until the album ended. The music isn’t demanding, but if you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to keep from dancing. Emily King is an R&B singer-songwriter, and Scenery feels like a solid introduction to both her and the genre. At times sassy and syncopated, at other times lush and dreamy, it compelled me to look up the other works of this previously unknown-to-me artist.
Did I mention Scenery is also a perfect breakup album? Though we could all use the occasional dose of melodrama, Scenery conveys heartbreak in a triumphant and self-assured manner, while acknowledging reality: people break up, and they may or may not move on. Songs like “Can’t Hold Me” and “Look at Me Now” are brazen in their newfound autonomy, and “Teach You” (my personal favorite) sounds calm and breezy while speaking to a future breakup that could still be avoided. Conversely, songs that sit on the precipice of a new relationship, like “Remind Me” and “Forgiveness,” can’t help but recall previous failures and the anxieties that follow. I haven’t had a proper breakup in years, so take my analysis with a grain of salt, but I loved listening to this album and remembering that I am an individual of value, with or without a partner.
Recommended for people who like Alicia Keys and Janelle Monáe (“Blue Light” sounds this close to being one of the quieter tracks on Dirty Computer).
Review by Emma, Circulation Assistant
