Chappell Roan's first studio full-length,
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, is an absolute breath of fresh air in a crowded pop landscape. Playful, a little naughty, and full of heart, this debut brims with spirited pop gems that stick in the brain long after the album is finished. Blending the youthful Gen Z delivery of
Olivia Rodrigo, the best-friend-approachability of
Taylor Swift, and the songcraft of
Maggie Rogers,
Roan is the main draw here, taking whatever producer
Dan Nigro (
Kylie,
Rodrigo,
Caroline Polachek) throws at her and making it irresistible. Opener "Femininomenon" perfectly captures the album's ethos as it transforms from a sweet, string-laden ballad into a pulse-pounding empowerment anthem punctuated by a mid-song pep talk and hilariously escalating adlibs demanding a "fucking beat." From there, it's a nonstop flood of catchy, synth-backed anthems that could lay waste to mainstream radio if given the chance. The playfully horny "Red Wine Supernova" rides a bubbly beat,
Roan's pure voice and the girl gang background vocals boost the energy, and the funky strut of the confident, boyfriend-stealing "After Midnight" turns the lights down low as
Roan purrs that "everything good happens after midnight." Taking
Taylor's
Midnights hit one step further,
Roan takes aim at an ex on the sardonic, synth-laden "My Kink Is Karma," where she finds pleasure in the little things like watching them "ruin [their] life... losing [their] mind... [and] crashing [their] car." There's a handful of delicate ballads ("Coffee," "Casual," "Picture You," "Kaleidoscope") peppered amongst the pogo-bounce singalongs ("HOT TO GO!" and early hit "Pink Pony Club") that offer a few moments of rest while the party continues. On an album packed with highlights, standouts include the '80s-synth throwback "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" -- a cowbell-laden, late-night party saga that explodes with one of the most rousing choruses on
Midwest Princess -- and the closer, "Guilty Pleasure," which mirrors the opening track's quiet-to-loud approach, morphing from warm dream pop into pulsing electro-pop. Bold and fearless,
Chappell Roan's
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is the best kind of pop album: it captures a generational zeitgeist and introduces the world to a refreshing new voice that can hopefully stand the test of time and a fickle industry. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
