Album Review: Louise – Confessions
3 min read
Debuting in the early 90s as part of the R&B girl group Eternal Louise soon became a major star in the UK. Her marriage to footballer Jaime Redknapp turned her into her a cultural icon, and her solo albums reached success in the early 2000s. A nearly two-decade hiatus was broken in 2020 with the release of her fourth studio album, Heavy Love which garnered critical acclaim. Her most recent album Confessions, comes in the wake of a failed reunion tour with Eternals after Louise’s bandmates refused to perform at a Pride festival, and discusses liberation and opening up to her fans.
The titular track Confessions opens the album with a joyous tone, soft vocals and bright pop stylings. It’s light and playful as Louise sings “I’ve got a confession I think about your bedroom”. Manifesting is just as much of a fun pop track, with hints of disco in the backing. The lyrics about “planning it all” are cheeky and light, and refer to the practice of manifesting your future in a way that feels fresh and relevant. It ain’t Love is a fast-paced electropop number that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Charli xcx album. The dance beat and infectiously catchy lyrics make it a perfect club banger. Follow Me is just as fast-paced but the fun counting style in the chorus as Louise sings “(One) Don’t go actin’ tough, (Two) It was never love, (Three) You can call my bluff” makes the song more playful and the rising beat before the bass drop makes it one of the most fun and exhilarating tracks on Confessions.
Get into it is a slightly slower more sensual track, with sultry vocals and a half-whispered chorus. While Love Me More opens like a more traditional love song before introducing a dance beat. The lyrics espouse the value of self-love as Louise sings “Its giving main character energy”. The penultimate track Don’t Kill My Vibe is perhaps the most open and confessional on the album. She spoke about writing it in the media storm that followed the announced end of the Eternals reunion, and sings about “hitting rock bottom”. The gentle synth elevates the track and makes Louise’s vocals sound more vulnerable as she sings “I’m back from hell and look at me, I made it out alive. It’s an interesting track that elevates the album, with a more vulnerable style that allows Louise to show a less glossy pop side to her.
Confessions is a great fun pop album, it’s packed full of playful pop tracks that are perfect for dancefloors, and summer parties. The promised more vulnerable side is relegated to only Don’t Kill My Vibe, but through the joyous tracks about fun, and self-love Louise shows that she isn’t going to allow negativity to get her down, and will still produce great music in spite of it.
