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Zara Larsson - 'VENUS'


kyliefever2002

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Posted

Finally at home! Ok, my track-by-track long ass "review" :giraffe:

 

Can't Tame Her - I was never a huge fan of this song, mostly bc of the production. The melodies and lyrics are good, and i absolutely love the acoustic version which is immaculate, but the Blinding Lights type beat in 2023 was sooo underwhelming and tiring for me that i was over it after 2 listens. I grew to enjoy it more though and now i think it's nice. 7/10

 

More Than This Was - This is literally 2017 radio fodder that could've been on Camila Cabello's debut album, but this is not bad by any means for me! I absolutely love the melodies and the song overall, but the production kinda throws me off bc it sounds like a demo and doesn't explode as it should've been, if that makes sense? It gives me the definitive demo before the actual final mix. Other than that, it's perfect. 9/10

 

On My Love - This is a ultimate grower. I thought it was horrid during my first listen but then it grew on me and now i embrace how trashy this is. I love this song. It gives 2016, a track that would be a collab between Guetta and Zara, exploding in streams and would be added to So Good alongside Symphony to inflate the streams even more! The vocal mixing is an absolute mess though but at this point i think it's camp! 9/10

 

Ammunition - It's giving me 2006 Danja/Timbaland type beat that would be pitched to Rihanna but she rejected then it got passed around until Zara got her hands on it, but in 2024! During my first listens i thought it was cute but earlier today i became obsessed with it. And i love the outro. The mixing is fine on this one. 10/10

 

None of These Guys - Okay club banger!!! The best song on the album and pure pop bliss. It's giving Tove Lo and i think Zara should embrace more sexiness on her music. 10/10

 

You Love Who You Love - Major banger and a classic Zara bop. This one is perfectly mixed so i don't really get the issue with some other demo-sounding songs, but it's ok! MNEK came through with his pen and this song is magic. 10/10

 

End of Time - Her "Frozen" :clap3: i think this one belongs to Poster Girl in terms of sound and somehow sounds a bit out of place on the album? Yes, but it's good. I loved when it came out, then got tired of it and now i like it anyways. Not the best song on the album but yeah. 8/10

 

Nothing - This sounds like a mess jgkgfjlg the "Issues" verses then it becomes a tuneless ballad that goes nowhere and well. I'll give her points bc apparently this is a solo written song and the last time i heard this it didn't sound awful as during the 1st time. But a mess nonetheless. 4/10

 

Escape - This one is perfect! So dreamy, i love how her vocals are mixed in here (they got it right!) but like EOT, this would fit better on Poster Girl than on this album. And well, it would be a cute filler on PG but we'll take it! 10/10

 

Soundtrack - This one starts promising and then becomes a dull HAC radio ballad but goes nowhere. I think it's a grower and will work better on live performances, though. 6/10

 

Venus - A very cute bop and actually fits well in here! It's not groundbreaking though. 8/10

 

The Healing - A better ballad than Soundtrack, but i don't think it works well as a closer. Meet Me In Paris would've done the job better and actually sounds like a closing track. I think this one is cute and relatable to me, there's more room to grow of course. 7/10

 

Yeah, that's it. This is Zara weakest album to date, but i enjoy it a lot nonetheless. It's like So Good sister that could've been released in 2018 at most but she decided to give us in 2024... and without SG hits :celestial5:  I don't think it's terrible as some people are saying it is, but it doesn't show any sign of growth or development on her sound - if anything it was a step back from Poster Girl that was a much better album.

 

The album would've been better if it had better mixing and some songs were scrapped in favor of others. I feel like if she had 3 absolute bangers that fit the current sound in pop music the album would face a lot of improvement.

 

My favorite tracks are: Escape, Ammunition and None of These Guys.

 

7.5/10 (3.5/5)

 

 

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Posted
9 hours ago, goldstargay said:

MTTW, Escape, Venus & NOTG are the best -- the rest is a snooze.  I still can't believe she has a bop like Pink and left it off.  We need BOPS and not ballads.  She has everything it takes to be a MPG except for the material.

Maybe we'll get Pink on the deluxe?

8 hours ago, luckystrike said:

well yes! I am not as let down as I expected to be during the tragic rollout but it's definitely a weaker album than Poster Girl, it lacks standout tracks and the 3 ballads are easily disposable and interchangeable for songs like Comfort Zone, The Cure, Pink, Chemicals, Clubben, etc, which would've made this a wayyyy stronger pop album :toofunny2: I'm not even against ballads but I really don't think they were needed here and they just drag the album down when it had potential to be so much more, especially Nothing and The Healing, Soundtrack is fine enough. The bops bop though, NOTG, Venus and Escape are amazing, Ammunition is definitely interesting but it's giving grower, MTTW kinda lacks a bit of punch but it's cute, and On My Love definitely grew and sounds way better in the album. I think my top 3 is Can't Tame Her/None Of These Guys/Venus :clap3:

 

I really hope she steps it up for the next era, no shade, this is a fun pop album that I'll definitely have in rotation cause she's my fave but she's capable of so much better someone get her a gay A&R now please I'm begging

She needs to embrace being a popstar because this love she has for recording these terrible ballads weigh down her discography 

3 hours ago, Everdeen said:

She wasn’t allowed to release one bullet, bc she didn’t want it to be a single:coffee2:

Wait is this confirmed 💀 is she stupid?

Posted

Seems like Ammunition is also being promoted on New Music Friday, at least in Scandinavia 

Posted
12 hours ago, Alex said:

why on earth did she scrap Comfort Zone :rip:

Let's hope that it'll be on the deluxe 

11 hours ago, s1974181 said:

prolly cuz it was a random writing camp demo she did in april 2021 , along with many others , months and months before her and rick linked up and made the majority of the album (early 2022 if i remember ?), i highly doubt it was ever worked on again or ever considered for the album

 

theres a whole album worth (and more) of good scrapped actually venus era songs that she could have picked from instead of half the stuff she put on here lol 

What Venus era songs would you recommend that she should've put out? 

 

11 hours ago, Alex said:

her downfall always comes from her scrapping her best material in favour of the duds that fill her albums. A random writing camp demo washing half of the songs on here is embarrassing, and I don't doubt that there's more amazing material that will never see the light of day. Oh Zara...:clownny:

Why is she like this? 

11 hours ago, Burqa said:

more than this was is... alright. takes forever to go somewhere

on my love is so bad i can't believe it was the 3rd single, it sounds like a random unfinished demo

Well on my love is shaping up to be a hit so clearly it's doing something right 

10 hours ago, Burqa said:

songs like can't tame her, end of time and the title track were such an interesting artistic direction, specially paired with the dark visuals from the first two singles. if the whole album was like that at least people would take her seriously

 

and if she wants her album to be a playlist that's fine, but at least pick good songs :rip: how tf did soundtrack or on my love made it over wake up in my tshirt or comfort zone

She needs a gag a&r asap and let's hope that we get a deluxe with the latter 2 songs that you just mentioned 

9 hours ago, James_XL said:

I'm glad her label still let's her release albums but why can't she release them sooner? They always end up sounding 2/3 years older.

None Of These Guys and Escape have that old Zara feel, but the rest is so bland, uninspired and again dated.

Sadly this is doing nothing on charts, clubs or even elevators :doc:

Can't Tame Her did well and now so is On My Love what are you talking about 

 

Posted
1 minute ago, Everdeen said:

Seems like Ammunition is also being promoted on New Music Friday, at least in Scandinavia 

Venus is on New Music Friday playlists everywhere else

Posted

Ammunition might get the Only You treatment in Sweden as it’s #2 on ItsHits which is higher than YLWYL ever got

Posted

The album is great! Think I prefer it to PG right now at least:gaygacat6:

Posted

wish the album was as good as the cover :doc:

Posted

Love the first half of the album, but the second falls completely flat outside End of Time and Escape :khalyan2:

Posted

Okay Listening now

 

Can't Tame Her - I personally think this sounds generic, never really got into it . Pop perfection varbs tho.

 

More Than It Was - Meh - Skip for me

 

Oh My Love - She's okay.

 

Ammunition - The production on the second half is very interesting ,but still a generic song - The outro ,also very interesting ,I think it might grow on me.But more for the interesting production.

 

None Of These Guys - When that started ,ew - it is so filthy, grimey and sexy. It's basic ,but the production carries this one hard. I could hear this on a modern day Blackout , also the bridge , euphoric.  Yes Zara.  Oh wait ,it's the post chorus - "Through the night" that sounds great honestly ,probably my fave part. 

 

YLWYL - A basic pop bop ,just generic. 

 

The pre chorus -

 

When will you use your common sense? (Why won't you?)
He drags you down instead of compliments (mhm)
You know he ain't heaven-sent (mhm)
No, he ain't heaven-sent (oh, no, no, no), look at the evidence

 

This part - Makes me think of that Ricky Martin song?????

 

End Of Time - This started so interesting. I really liked this one actually until the chorus , I wish it went a different route, not so generic.

 

Nothing - Julia, Ms Michaels , Have you entered the chat? Cute song. Just not ground breaking.

 

Escape - At this point, I have that AJ reaction where she dances,but doesn't really care.

 

Soundtrack - ...

 

Venus - I actually like this one - So stranger things - sounding. Had me moving a little. Oh wait! Her and Can't Tame Her , same whatsapp group. The Weekndisms

 

The Healing - GIRL,what are we healing from????????????? It's an okay closer.

 

LOOOK 4 albums in ZARA GIRL...This is too generic and I know she has it in her where is the LOVE ME LAND, WOW, DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME sized bops/quality 

 

The album doesn't have a concept  based on my initial listen , just songs put together. 

 

Her worst effort I fear

 

 

Posted

Ooop Exes by Tate played right after this, ZARA GIRL - You gotta get up! The girls are coming with BOPS,real BOPS

Posted

Her worst album by a mile, there’s not much highlights that her other albums at least have 

Posted

this is so boring

Posted

Nothing is indeed a solo written song according to the album booklet. Unfortunately it's the worst track but let's cheer Zara Swift coming through :clap3:

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

I think it would've flowed better arranged somewhat sonically how I hear it now with order from EDM to dark to 80's to 80's sugary sweet to chill/light pop to ballads. While listening to the playlist in this order (modifying it throughout the day while getting into the tracks) it sounds actually quite cohesive imo. Included Words cause it was first track after PG era and "around Venus era" leaks as now. Comfort Zone is said to be from PG but it is newly leaked and fits here well and I really like it so deal with it  :wave2: She should've just given us more tracks, I would've been happy personally even with the leaked ones for now and some kind of summer re-issue later. The ~20 track album/playlist is quite cute and enjoyable overall but nothing groundbreaking for my taste. The 12 track album falls a bit on the flat side with few album highlights. Trying to keep it positive:celestial4:

 

On My Love

Words

None Of These Guys

You Love Who You Love

Can’t Tame Her

Chemicals

Comfort Zone

Day n Night

Escape

Venus

Dancing Is Dreaming

Pink

More Than This Was

Ammunition
End Of Time

Nothing

Soundtrack

Meet Me In Paris

The Healing

 

Wake Up In My T-Shirt (don't know where to throw this one since I haven't been able to get into it)

Edited by alexaalto
Posted

This is trash apart from None Of These Smashes, You Love Who You Love, Can't Tame Her and More Than This Was. She'll never deliver a truly good album despite all the talent she has. The Miley-fication of it all. 

Posted

"Venus" was added to "Today's Hits" on Apple Music UK, quite high tho :clap3: and its also on Hot Songs front page. "You Love Who You Love" was completely ignored :skull:

Posted

I think ammunition has a better chance of smashing or none of the guys. Venus is very niche even tho it's a good pop song

Posted

"Venus" album debuts at #2 on iTunes UK with 1 hour of release :clap3: "Poster Girl" barely cracked TOP 10 if i recall, around 7-8. 

  • Like 2
Posted (edited)

None Of The Guys second verse i wasn't ready :gaycatina1:

Edited by Bencharmer
Posted

The second half of the album is weak

Posted

I’m surprised more people aren’t loving More Than This Was

 

but yeah, otherwise extremely disappointed with this album. The insiders won I guess.

Posted

Unfortunately, this is her weakest album yet. PG remains her best work. It could've been a cute EP with singles, Venus and maybe Escape. The rest of the album is just... bland and uninspired. This girl desperately needs a good A&R. For some reason, she's constantly struggling to deliver quality music. On the brighter side, this album did what was needed to be done and put her name back on the charts. She scored two moderate hits in the UK. If she's smart enough, she should end this era asap (along with YLWYL MV), tour and focus on recording new music, because lbr there are no hits left on this album.

Posted
17 minutes ago, MississippiZara said:

The insiders won I guess.

Girl why are you always at war with the 'insiders' :redface:

Enjoy the music and form your own opinions. 

 

I realistically think this album can outchart Poster Girl pretty much everywhere. 

  • Haha 4
Posted

Okay so i downloaded the FLAC file and it gave the punch MTTW needed for me

 

The score for the song for me now is 10/10

 

:suburban:

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