Having a fantastic, self-defining debut album, like Blondshell did with 2023’s self-titled release, Blondshell, is an impressive feat. But it might be an even bigger challenge to follow something like that up. How do you recapture the confessional, angst-ridden, ’90s-inspired magic of that first album, while also expanding on it and saying something new?
Blondshell makes a solid attempt at doing just that on If You Asked for a Picture, the musician’s second studio album under the name Blondshell, which dropped today.
Sabrina Teitelbaum, who has been performing under the stage name Blondshell since 2020, doesn’t shy away from the ultra-confessional lyrics that helped to make her 2023 debut one of my favorite albums of the year. That would be a sincere shame if she did. But she does take a different track on the new album, branching out sonically, while still being honest and open about the things in life that just, well, suck.
A highlight of the album is its first track, “Thumbtack.” The album’s kickoff song slowly builds throughout its 4 minute 17 second run time, culminating in a great electric guitar riff in the last bit of the song. It’s also the song where Blondshell sonically branches out the furthest from her debut—it’s almost soothing, something that could not be said at all about Teitelbaum’s debut.
Although “Thumbtack” offers a unique sound for the alt-rock musician, its lyrics are reflective of common themes throughout Blondshell’s discography: crappy breakups, terrible exes who you just can’t move on from, general dismay.
“A thumbtack in my side, a dog bite,” Blondshell sings on the song. “You distract from what’s worse so I will let you keep a ball chain on my leg.”
Even though If You Asked for a Picture was just released, Blondshell already has a new fan favorite at festival gigs—the single “What’s Fair.” The So-Cal pop-punk-inspired song is among the most energetic and sonically upbeat on Blondshell’s latest album, and is powered by its angry lyrics. Blondshell sings about her sometimes dark and complex relationship with her mom on the song. It’s a fun song to sing along to, if you ignore the intense heaviness of the lyrics.
“You’d want me to be famous so you could live by proxy,” Blondshell sings on the song. “You always had a reason to comment on my body. You’re not a perfect person, something’s always wrong. But I know there’s nothing less perfect to a girl than a mom.”
If “Thumbtack” helped to slowly build the album up, the last song on If You Asked for a Picture, “Model Rockets” serves as a perfect bookend—bringing the album back to its calm base.
Blondshell was so consistently raucous and in-your-face, it’s really interesting to hear Teitelbaum take on these slower, more melodic and relaxed songs.
But that doesn’t mean that Blondshell doesn’t totally rock out. One of my favorite things about Teitelbaum’s project is it reminds me of the music from the ’90s that I adore and sometimes feels so far away. Blondshell perfectly picks up the torch that bands like Hole and L7 initially lit decades ago.
“Arms” is a moody, grungy song primarily powered by just a few guitar chords, that’s about the act of taking care of someone in a relationship that isn’t taking care of themselves.
“I don’t wanna be your mom, but you’re not strong enough,” Teitelbaum sings in the verse of the song. “The world isn’t aching like you are. There’s a trap door in my arms. Let me over, let me cover the bad parts.”
If Teitelbaum’s mission on this album was to recapture the spark of her debut, she can check that box. If You Asked for a Picture is just as angry, is filled with as many scream-worthy hooks and pained lyrics that made Blondshell such a riot. But she also took the mission a bit further, expanding on her sound in unique and unexpected, and rather pleasant ways, showing that Blondshell isn’t just a one-trick pony.
If You Asked for a Picture is out now.
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