Galore (EP) - Marlene Larsen (Alt Rock / Pop) Marlene returns to our blog with her debut 5-track EP “Galore”, an impeccably produced, heartfelt project which crafts a signature sound for the artist while boasting stellar poetic lyricism. Before we go track-by-track, we start with some overall impressions of the project.
It is clear that the album is personal and borne of pain. French singer Marlene Larsen seems to dwell in either the darkness or limbo, opening her heart to pour out the reasons why she finds herself there. With that comes a soft rock, alternative 90s sound that mixes the best of that generation’s emo and grunge styles. Marlene’s sound centers on a warbly, grunge guitar and her soundscapes often remind us of Smashing Pumpkins at times, and at others Sheryl Crow, with Marlene able to straddle the balance of creating a signature sound while also making each song have a unique identity.
Marlene’s voice is both intimate and powerful. Often layered beautifully to create melodious earworms, when solo, Marlene’s voice is passionate and emotive, and often sits very close to the listener. In her tonality and delivery, we often get moments of Fiona Apple, while a few songs evoke Gwen Stefani.
But as strong as the instrument is, even stronger are the words delivered by it. Marlene is one of the best songwriter’s we’ve met this year. Her lyrics are incredibly memorable, as Marlene uses her catchy melodies to carry extremely detailed and specific imagery to paint crystal clear landscapes.
We had the privilege of already reviewing Marlene’s prior singles, “Galore” and “I said i’m fine”. We said the former was a stomping mid-tempo primed for TV licensing, using a timeless sound to touch on current hot topics like gender conformity, with her feminine vocals and grungy guitar paralleling the song’s messaging with the play between feminine and masculine energies. As to the latter, we complimented the numerous switchups, lush vocal layering, richness and theatricality, calling Marlene one to watch.
Now having heard the remaining three tracks, we confidently stand by our opinions. In EP opener “Birthday”, we get a little bit of a current era Taylor Swift vibe, very “Anti Hero” in its sound. In “Birthday”, Marlene uses the idea of her birthday as a reemergence day—the start of a new chapter. Reading like a powerful diary entry, Marlene celebrates burned bridges and the loss of dead weight by wishing herself happy birthday.
“Careful” really surprised us, taking us into a delicate and intimate ballad with striking lyrics, in the vein of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?”. The song is yearning incarnate, with a heartstring pulling delivery that somehow manages to be both innocent and mature. Marlene is clearly a woman wise beyond her years—an old soul.
“Public Apology” closes the album by abandoning expected form, with the track split into two distinct sections, each feeling very much like the curtain call and encore.
A striking introduction, Marlene Larsen’s debut effort announces her arrival by kicking down the door. And now she has all of our undivided attention.