Loving “The Art of Loving”
If you’ve ever yearned for an album that will make you feel like the intersection of Adele, Stevie Nicks, and Lennon Stella in the year 2006, this is it. Olivia Dean’s new album, “The Art of Loving,” is her second studio album, following 2023’s “Messy”, and it does not disappoint.
After the floating, harmonizing goodness that is all of 40 seconds, “The Art of Loving (Intro)”, the album opens on the hit single, “Nice to Each Other.” In the album bio, Olivia describes this song as flirty, in a Fleetwood Mac-esque manner. This is easily a top 5 song on this album for me. The light guitar, easy rhythms, and singability top the other album songs. The tempo and tune changes honor her airy voice and make it seem effortless to sing so angelically.
As popular music leans further into R&B and classic rock influences, Olivia Dean masters the perfect modern, yet somehow vintage-influenced sound in this album. It flies in the face of the muffled, auto-tune-ridden sound that plagues current music as her clear voice cuts through and straight into your soul.
Olivia Dean; The Art of Loving
Image via @oliviadeano on Instagram
“Lady, Lady,” also a previously released single, is a mellow anthem that continues her unique sound, developing more pitch-changing, itch-scratching harmonies. The build-up to and the lyrics “I was just, I was just getting used to her,” are actually stuck in my head for the many weeks to come, and I feel sorry for my immediate coworkers. And the bridge? Heavenly. The slight trumpets at the end actually caused me to ascend.
“Close Up”- a new song, not previously released, is where I felt the Adele vibes come in. I’m sure it’s the striking piano, the deeper pitch, and the yearning sort of lyrics that cause me to create a faint association. The build, harmonies, and almost jazz-like instruments bring essential Olivia Dean elements. Love the “babababababa” at the end. Will be yelling that for the foreseeable future.
“So Easy (To Fall in Love)” is such a fun, quirky song with great writing. From lyrics like “I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life” to the light piano and (elevator?) bells, the song is the perfect 90s rom-com vibe.
“Let Alone The One You Love.” Oh, just tear my heart out already. A heartbreaking realization of betrayal by a lover, I will always adore these songs. So much emotion and raw beauty in the lyrics. We’ve all been there, and this will be a scream song for fans (me) at her concerts. This song is reminiscent of R&B, woman scorned songs from the 90s and 2000s, with beautiful harmonies and that modern touch.
People want to sing nowadays- and they will definitely sing this one. A pre-released single, “Man I Need,” is the perfect movie song, windows down song, concert song, shower song!! The pre-chorus plays such big part in this song and might actually be more important to me than the chorus. Is that weird? (Pre-chorus is “Already know I can’t leave it alone–So, don’t be shy”) Once again, the bridge is funky, fresh, and filled with joy.
Sitting at 8 out of 12, “Something Inbetween” is a song I foresee being overshadowed in Olivia’s discography in the future. It is basic in comparison to her other jazz-focused sections, but I believe her voice is beautifully showcased in this song.
I love “Loud.” I am a proud obsessor of this song, and I don’t care who knows it. Between the picking-guitar intro and the soulful belts, I cannot get enough. I will be blasting this at 100 in my car and singing on the way to work. “To turn me on just to turn me down”, “I’m out, the silence is so loud.” Sorry, don’t mind me, I am actually just picking myself off the floor. This song also has an outro, which isn’t really seen on the other songs, and I am also (can you guess) obsessed. It seems like the song is kind of a rant, or argument, or her saying her peace, and the outro is the final nail in the coffin. Like, ok, I understand if you changed your mind, but you should have told me. Okay, the end, bye, don’t call this number again.
When I first heard “Baby Steps,” my shoulders started moving up and down to the beat on their own accord. This is my smooth dance song on this album, and I’m here for it. The verses, packed with lyrics in comparison to the chorus, are reminiscent of Simone from Daisy Jones and the Six, and with that, the disco influence of the 70s. Makes me want to find a disco.
Okay, I know I already said rom-com, but I lied, THIS is pure rom-com goodness. “A Couple Minutes” opens with an old-timey movie-esque violin (?). I’m really not sure what the instrument is, and maybe that makes me an idiot, ok. This is a wonderful slow dance song, which is perfect, given that the lyrics of the song reflect a couple of minutes of love between people before returning to reality.
“I’ve Seen It”- a sound that is almost experimental for Olivia? This song is also one of my favorites, and is probably why I feel so 2006 about this album. For some reason, maybe it is the short lyric lines, or the bubbly acoustic guitar sound, or the lack of a chorus. It is almost Colbie Caillat-ish? (Deep cut, I know). But more so, a slower-paced, more raw voice version of Colbie Caillat. It really isn’t super Colbie Caillat, but the guitar and vibes remind me of that era. Does anyone else understand what I’m saying?
Anyways. This album is a WIN for Olivia. It is a perfect mix of her sound and experimentation. Haters may say the songs sound similar, and to that I say, GOOD. I wanted more Olivia Dean, and I got it. I think this album, along with her upcoming tour + festival dates (ACL next week), will push her to the next level of stardom and fame. Her music is hard to dislike and easy to groove to. And for those who dive deeper, they will find themselves connected to it in a way you might not think possible upon first listen. It is a wonderful maturation of her sound, and I can’t wait to hear more.
My final rankings of the album are as follows (if you’re forcing me):
Loud
Close Up
Let Alone The One You Love
Nice To Eachother
Man I Need
So Easy (To Fall In Love)
I’ve Seen It
Lady Lady
Baby Steps
A Couple Minutes
Something Inbetween
The Art of Loving (Intro)
