Snail Mail - Valentine

So to the last day of 2021. It's been a really, interesting year for me personally, one of the most interesting and productive of my life actually. A nice thing to be able to say at the ripe old age of 56,

One thing I've been most productive in is posting on here. I've actually posted more on here than I have in any year since I started this back in 2013. That sets the bar even higher for 2023 where It Stars turns ten.

The last 'Oh this is a really great album that I haven't put on my end of year list' for 2021. And it is a really, good one. Perhaps the purest Pop Record with Depth' record that I've heard all year along with Japanese Breakfast. Those are difficult things to do.

Valentine, the second album from Snail Mail, AKA Lindsey Jordan is some record and some statement. It's the kind of record that ends up on End of Year lists and makes the person who made it a bigger and more feted star than they were before. A point of arrival.

Pitchfork love it of course. Valentine is the kind of record and Jordan the kind of artist they love annointing. I don't care for Pitchfork but I do care for Jordan. She's the real deal. Indie enough to attract the hip, Poppy enough to tempt the mainstream.

I don't like it. Some of it is just Pop. But some of it is Pop with heart and that's not the easiest thing to do.