A night out culminating into a moment of self-realization, Rachel Chinouriri’s recent release of sophomore album I think I spoke too soon, centers around the turbulent nature of late-20s life. Blending synths and honest lyrics, the album is an intimate look at the singer’s self realization that resonates deeply with listeners.
“One song away from crying” sets the tone for the confessional nature of the album as Chinouriri confronts the tense line between performing and feeling. She debates using the dance floor as a way to cope with her own internal tension, remarking that “I’ve never looked better and I’ve never looked worse.” It’s a sentiment echoed in the next track, “Pretty girls,” which masks self-doubt under a glittery arrangement of synths.
The track “Baby steps” sounds straight from the dance floor, mixing Chinouriri’s smooth vocals with addicting synths, where the British singer wonders, “Am I walking the distance or am I just tumbling over my feet,” in the relationships in her life. The instrumentals sometimes drown out the musings of the singer, leaving her confessions hard to hear. The haunting “Shiver” handles the instrumentals better, depicting the paranoia and curiosity of possibly reconnecting with a person from the past.
Tracks like “I’m a star” depict the dissonance between keeping appearances despite an internal spiral of insecurities with Chinouriri remarking that “At least my favourite jeans look cuter when I run.” The singer comes to the realization that she is “used and abused and discarded” in the indie rock “Broken chair,” a metaphor using the image of a broken chair she saw during a night out in London. “Favourite desperation” is the label given to a toxic partner, where she admits that “It’s kind of scary, but I think that I like it.”
The troubling nature of unfulfilling relationships reappear throughout the album. “AAAHHH!!!” is a standout track, with punchy indie rock accompanying Chinouriri’s frantic inability to decide whether to want or hate a person, admitting that “I wanna kiss you, kill you/Gotta get you off my mind.” The alt-pop track ”Make believe” continues the cycle, comparing the toxicity to “such a nasty bruise, I’m obsessed with you.”
Chinouriri’s confessional lyrics feel like an emotional gut punch the morning after a whirlwind night of bad decisions. “Parasite” is brazen, accusing a previous partner of manipulative tactics like “digging your heels in the back of my spine” amidst an ‘80s dance beat. “The good fight” is the turning point on the album, with the singer realizing that the self-destructive cycle of partying and toxic relationships is not productive, asking herself to “pull me out from under.”
The closing track “Crash this car” offers softer, slower production than the rest of the album. Chinouriri’s internal dialogue finally faces the unknown fears of her late young adulthood, like heartbreak and self-discovery. Serving as a cathartic end to the fast-paced convolution of the album, the singer aptly reflects that people might be “driving way too fast/then we miss the part/where we be somebody.”
4 broken chairs out of 5
