Not counting
Nudes, a 2018 set of covers and acoustic reworkings,
Second Nature represents the first studio album from
Lucius in an eventful six years. During that time, dual vocalists and co-songwriters
Jess Wolfe and
Holly Laessig spent over a year touring stadiums as backing singers for
Roger Waters, lent vocals to albums by the likes of
Waters,
Sheryl Crow,
Harry Styles,
Ozzy Osbourne,
the War on Drugs, and
Brandi Carlile, and between the two of them experienced life events including divorce and motherhood -- not to mention a pandemic. It was during lockdown together in Los Angeles that
Wolfe and
Laessig conceived the songs for
Second Nature, a mix of '80s-infused disco-pop and power ballads showcasing the singers' in-demand blended, emotive vocals. What takes the album to the next level, though, are songs that seek out composure following heartbreak.
Second Nature opens with a sleek pair of melancholy dance-pop songs, the title track and funkier "Next to Normal," which delivers lines such as "When everyone's the same, it's time to separate yourself" in a robotic unison before their voices gradually separate into harmony and countermelody. Having established
Second Nature's persistently active or underlying dance beats, they finally dig into meatier, full-range vocals on third song "24," a ballad that sets the stage for the rest of the album ("It's been 24 days since I knew your name/24 hours 'til I get on this plane/And 24 words I could rearrange to try and explain what I'm going through"). They return to full-fledged, sparkling dance-pop on "Dance Around It," a song that features the aforementioned
Crow and
Carlile, the latter of whom co-produced
Second Nature with
Dave Cobb. A standout among a sturdy set is centerpiece "The Man I'll Never Find," a piano ballad (with drums and strings) that wants what it can't have, featuring vocal performances on the verge of tears.
Lucius quickly recover with yearning yet confident songs about things like broken promises, white lies, and "Tears in Reverse" ("turn into love"). While previous albums saw
Lucius shift from a mix of melodic indie pop and folk to a sassy alt-pop,
Second Nature steps firmly into a more mature adult alternative realm befitting the subject matter, without abandoning playfulness or high-contrast dynamics (or bandmates
Dan Molad and
Peter Lalish, who appear here) in the process. ~ Marcy Donelson
