Little Oblivions
by Julien Baker
  • Record Label: Matador
  • Release Date: Feb 26, 2021
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 47 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 47
  3. Negative: 3 out of 47
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  1. Tbone413
    Oct 16, 2021
    8
    stream faith healer, you really won’t be disappointed. It does happen to be the only true standout track for me, but the rest of the album still holds its own very well. Stream Faith Healer though. I’m begging you.
  2. JLuis_001
    May 16, 2021
    7
    Julian Baker: Little Oblivions - ★★★½

    Notable Tracks

    > Hardline
    > Heatwave
    > Faith Healer
    > Relative Fiction
    > Crying Wolf
    > Bloodshot
    > Song in E
    > Ziptie
  3. wheredowego
    Mar 20, 2021
    3
    Very lackluster however does have two standouts tracks but other than just another forgettable album we didn't need in 2021
  4. lalafan
    Mar 20, 2021
    3
    Unfortunately not my cup of tea. zero effort and i found myself skipping a lot of tracks
  5. myfirstnameist
    Mar 6, 2021
    8
    The Tennessee singer-songwriter and producer and 1/3 of Boy Genius (along with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus) released her highly anticipated third LP album Little Oblivions. The album is 43 minutes filled with heartfelt ache and sadness in storytelling with a full band production.
    The first track Hardline, instantly shows Baker’s pain, depression, and sadness in her lyrics when singing    The Tennessee singer-songwriter and producer and 1/3 of Boy Genius (along with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus) released her highly anticipated third LP album Little Oblivions. The album is 43 minutes filled with heartfelt ache and sadness in storytelling with a full band production.
    The first track Hardline, instantly shows Baker’s pain, depression, and sadness in her lyrics when singing “I’m telling my own fortune something I cannot escape I can see where this is going but I can’t find the brake” according to Baker’s Apple Music interview this song is a confession booth song. While in Heatwave, she wrote this song while being stuck in traffic and worrying about trivial things when all of a sudden witnessed a car crash realizing that life is precious and it is not worth your energy to focus on negativities. I love how Baker tackles addiction in Faith Healer. The effects on one being, which may give an instant satisfaction and as an escape. However, it eventually destroys you on the inside exudes an honest delivery and lyricism from her. While in Relative Fiction, Baker became intimate as she opened up to us that she was done being good. In Crying Wolf, Baker is singing how it feels to be in a cyclical relationship with substances, the magic in her storytelling is so effective in this song as you can feel her struggles and pain. I enjoy the production in Bloodshot and how Baker painted a story of how lonely and sad a place to be in when we as individuals are just sculpting our mythologies about the world. I can feel Baker's desperation in Ringside. She sings 'So Jesus, can you help me now, trade me in for a briar crown Is there anybody coming back for me” while in Favor, she reunited with her Boygenius bandmates Phoebe and Lucy as they provided back up vocals which sound beautifully together. In Song in E, Baker is lamenting about preferring to be lashed out with anger when she causes pain to her friend as she sings “Give me no sympathy its the mercy I can’t take”. In Repeat, Baker shares her experiences of touring her feelings towards life on tour. Baker continues to reflect on herself in Highlight Reel, where she told Apple Music she had a panic attack while on a cab in New York City and need to get out and walk, this song represents her biggest mistakes in life and reflecting on the things which she has screwed up. Ziptie is a relevant song to what is happening in our world. Baker has a visceral image of violence where radically profiled individuals put restraints on rallies, demonstrators, or a person who is mentally ill is a perfect closure to this beautiful album.
    Little Oblivions is an intimate reflection of Baker’s personal experiences highlighting the dark side of her trauma and difficulties from drinking, substance abuse, painful relationships, and even religion will take you for a ride of Baker’s self-deprecating songs in searching for self-forgiveness and healing. The album is well cohesive. The storytelling to the delicate production makes this an album to jam when you feel down. I am giving this album a rating of 8/10.

    Favorite tracks: Hardline, Heatwave, Faith Healer, Crying Wolf and Favor.    … Expand
  6. Menios
    Mar 5, 2021
    8
    Lyrically speaking, this album is a masterpiece! She's only so young but so full of life's experiences which are conveyed so mesmerizingly beautifully in "Little Oblivions".
  7. shoey9998
    Mar 4, 2021
    10
    TL;DR This is an album where the appeal is fairly straightforward; If you're looking for an album to project your anxiety and depression onto, this is it.

    As far as production goes, the mixes are very cohesive with a few minor exceptions. My only real complaint is that the post-chorus (that functions like a drop in an electronic track) sounds a little too wide on headphones and has    TL;DR This is an album where the appeal is fairly straightforward; If you're looking for an album to project your anxiety and depression onto, this is it.

    As far as production goes, the mixes are very cohesive with a few minor exceptions. My only real complaint is that the post-chorus (that functions like a drop in an electronic track) sounds a little too wide on headphones and has minor gain-staging issues. The mixes are very close but not claustrophobic. There's a very noticable analog warmth in the mids throughout the album.

    Lyric wise, this album floored me. It's brazenly vulnerable in the same way that Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers is but without the complex wordplay, not to say that Little Oblivions is without nuance. Song In E is a standout example of this, where the close feeling of the mix coupled with the incredibly crushing lyrics make for one of the most emotional songs I've heard in years. "It's the mercy I can't take" might be the best line I'll hear this year, and that's assuming the new Kendric Lamar album drops this year.

    Concept-wise, I think it's fitting to release this towards the end of quarantine given that just about everyone can identify with the themes of perceived isolation, depression, and self-esteem in the album. This is an album made to project your worst traits onto and the album is better for it.

    Best songs: Song In E, Relative Fiction, Faith Healer
    Worst songs: Hardline, Heatwave
    9.5-10/10 - A truly exceptional work    … Expand
  8. aletheia_lethe
    Feb 28, 2021
    10
    Julien's new approach in this album is so refreshing! It's a huge leap from her first two (2) albums but the depth and emotions in her lyrics and melodies are still there. Albeit, there's more hope now in her words than before. And as others have claimed, you can now shake ass to Julien's songs! The bass drop and the drum kicks are incredible! So much talent in this album. Definitely AOTY!Julien's new approach in this album is so refreshing! It's a huge leap from her first two (2) albums but the depth and emotions in her lyrics and melodies are still there. Albeit, there's more hope now in her words than before. And as others have claimed, you can now shake ass to Julien's songs! The bass drop and the drum kicks are incredible! So much talent in this album. Definitely AOTY!

    Best songs for me include Heatwave, Repeat, Ringside and Ziptie.    … Expand
  9. Djgallagher
    Feb 27, 2021
    10
    The lyricism, production and Julien’s soft vocal delivery mix together her to make this sort of poignant, heavy alternative masterpiece. This album shows us a new side of Julien Baker, songs are at a quickened pace with more splendour in track’s such as “Relative Friction”, “Hardline” & “Bloodshot”. This is the greatest release from Julien and the best from 2021 so far.

Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Best Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. No Ripcord
    Mar 9, 2021
    70
    There's a hard-won maturity here that makes every single line of hers deeply felt, even if it also emphasizes the more cloying elements of her songwriting.
    Read full review
  2. Sputnikmusic
    Mar 8, 2021
    82
    On Little Oblivions, she's taken the spaces in her music that used to be empty and filled them with churning, beautiful noise.
    Read full review
  3. The Observer (UK)
    Mar 1, 2021
    80
    The writing here is bleak, self-excoriating and largely excellent.
    Read full review
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