When California native Sara Bareilles moved to New York City this past year, she was seeking inspiration that would help her avoid musical monotony. It seems that the magnetic, bustling streets of Manhattan did just the trick.The Blessed Unrest presents fans with an entirely different side of Bareilles.
In her fourth album, Bareilles has abandoned her usual pop formula of upbeat rhythms and empowering, sassy lyrics. Whereas her overwhelmingly successful singles “Love Song” and “King of Anything” audaciously criticize her past lovers, the ballads of The Blessed Unrest convey far more serious romantic scars. Lightheartedness has been replaced with an equally addictive melancholy. Nevertheless, Bareilles’ lyrical brilliance continues to shines through.
The track that best conveys this artistic transformation is “Manhattan,” a ballad that tells the story of a long-distance romance that ends in heartbreak. Stylistically, the track is unlike anything we’ve ever heard from Bareilles and is far more reminiscent of Norah Jones. Underscoring Bareilles’ range and maturity as an artist, the song’s dazzling lyrics parallel the personal changes in her life.
New York City’s profound effect on Bareilles is also obvious in “Chasing the Sun,” which is set in a cemetery in Queens. A spiritually empowering track, “Chasing the Sun”arguably features the most beautifully written lyrics of the album. Namely, Bareilles’ comparison of her heartbeat to a symphony amid an old city stuck between the dead and the living is particularly thought-provoking.
In addition to reinventing her overall style, Bareilles has sought the help of others in the production ofThe Blessed Unrest to maximize her potential as an artist. Jack Antonoff of fun. co-wrote “Brave,” the album’s first single. While “Brave” is melodically similar to Bareilles’ older songs, it confronts a far more serious topic: It’s inspired by the coming out of Bareilles’ gay friend’s. The track should be applauded for its lyrics’ ability to empower listeners, although it lacks the poppy catchiness of “Love Song.”
Bareilles’ took a risk with her transition into more mature, somber pieces. However, it was warranted as she has recently been struggling to retain her original popularity. Since the pop hit “Love Song” peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008, she has had a difficult time achieving a similar level of worldwide success. Though her past album Kaleidoscope Heart debuted at number one in the United States in 2010, its most successful single, “King of Anything,” reached nowhere near the same level of success as “Love Song.”
The one track in The Blessed Unrest that successfully managed to play on repeat in my head all day long was “Little Black Dress.” I found myself drawn to this piece because it was reminiscent of Bareilles’ older style. Less serious and more upbeat than all of the other tracks in the album, “Little Black Dress” exudes fun. It’s hard not to smile when listening to the words, “This doesn’t have to be a sad song. Not with my little black dress on.”
All in all, The Blessed Unrest deserves immense praise for its showcasing of Bareilles’ lyrical genius and range. Gone are the audacious lyrics and bubbly tracks about incompetent lovers. Instead, the album presents mature, pensive pieces about more serious relationships and life encounters. I am left with only one complaint: not one of the 12 tracks on the album have the potential to imprint themselves onto the minds of Americans like “Love Song” did five years ago. There is, however, more to music than catchiness. There’s lyrical wit, melodic beauty and the music’s ability to move listeners, which The Blessed Unrest manages just fine.