Album Review: Reneé Rapp – Snow Angel
2 min read
Actor turned singer-songwriter Reneé Rapp releases her first studio album, Snow Angel. The 23 year old artist, who was nominated for Best New Artist award at the VMAs, recently announced her Snow Hard Feelings tour across the US and the UK. The Broadway musical star’s debut features pop-rock flavors and balladry powered by the artist’s impressive vocals.
Setting the album’s angsty tone Talk Too Much builds satisfyingly into an electric chorus: I’m here again talking myself out of my own happiness / I’ll make it up till I quit / I wonder if we should just sit here in silence – with the hook: “I think I talk too much.” The Olivia Rodrigo-esque track blends nostalgic vocal harmonies with grunge guitar chords. A manic, spoken monologue leads us into the final verse which is capped off with a defiant “Shut the f*ck up!”
Title track Snow Angel reveals the artist’s vocal range and musical theater expressiveness. Recounting a period of addiction and betrayal, she sings over ascending piano and explosive heavy metal guitar riffs: First to arrive, last to leave / What’s misery without company? / It’s hard to laugh when it’s hard to breathe / It’s white outside, but red underneath.
I Hate You Boston features relatable and heart-wrenching lyricism. She emphatically delivers the lines: How’d you make me hate Boston / It’s not it’s fault that / You don’t love me / Had it’s charm but it lost it / It’s not its fault / Just a casualty. Striking a familiar chord, the lyrics are clever in their approach and delivery.
Pretty Girls, produced by Alexander 23, stands out as one of the albums best tracks. The song builds slowly and breaks into fluctuating beats, synths, snares, high hats and pleasing brush strokes. The overall result is a simple, but highly satisfying track. The artist’s vocals transition between the different melodies and beat patterns perfectly.
Tummy Hurts is a searing but soulful track discussing an ex boyfriend: Now my tummy hurts / He’s in love with her/ But for what it’s worth / They’d make beautiful babies / And raise em them up / To be a couple of / F*cking monsters like their mother and father. The artist demonstrates her songwriting abilities and impressive vocal control.
No stranger to fame, Reneé Rapp claims her earliest ambition was to make it as a singer-songwriter. While the album is a lighter touch than releases from similar post-Lorde and post-Billie Eilish pop stars, the artist’s voice and storytelling abilities save it from being anywhere near mediocre.
