Superstar
by Caroline Rose
  • Record Label: New West
  • Release Date: Mar 6, 2020
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 1 out of 15
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  1. buzzlight
    Mar 7, 2020
    9
    Since her album Loner, Caroline Rose became, perhaps today's most underrated music artist. Catchy hooks, dance-able synth rhythms and witty lyrics make her songs incredibly listenable. Sounds like St. Vincent at times? Yes, but that's a good thing. This album Superstar doesn't have a musical surprise like Money or Bikini, but it doesn't disappoint either with standouts Nothing'sSince her album Loner, Caroline Rose became, perhaps today's most underrated music artist. Catchy hooks, dance-able synth rhythms and witty lyrics make her songs incredibly listenable. Sounds like St. Vincent at times? Yes, but that's a good thing. This album Superstar doesn't have a musical surprise like Money or Bikini, but it doesn't disappoint either with standouts Nothing's Impossible, Feel the Way I Want, Pipe Dreams and I Took a Ride.… Expand
  2. Frogacuda
    Mar 8, 2020
    8
    Caroline Rose has never been one to repeat herself. While not the dramatic departure that her previous album, Loner, was from her country-laced early output, Superstar still showcases an artist that is ever-evolving.

    Loner was a masterpiece of a pop album that deftly avoided pop tropes for character-driven songs written in diverse voices, and drawing from eclectic musical influences.    Caroline Rose has never been one to repeat herself. While not the dramatic departure that her previous album, Loner, was from her country-laced early output, Superstar still showcases an artist that is ever-evolving.

    Loner was a masterpiece of a pop album that deftly avoided pop tropes for character-driven songs written in diverse voices, and drawing from eclectic musical influences. Superstar doubles down on Rose's impressive talent for writing in character, but this time leans head-on into the pop tropes of ego, love, and heartbreak with a narrative concept album focused around a single character, a deeply flawed wannabe star who, after getting a (presumably mistaken) call from the Chateau Marmont, says goodbye to all her haters and makes a cross-country roadtrip to embrace a future that exists only in their head.

    Musically, the album zeros in on a neon-soaked low-fi synth pop sound that suits the album's theme of pop stardom. None of this would be terribly out of place alongside earlier songs like Jeanie Becomes a Mom or Talk, but don't expect the diversions into surf rock and rockabilly found on earlier albums. That isn't to say Superstar is repetitive, but it sacrifices some of the eclectic elements from her past work for a more cohesive sound. This is Rose's first wholly self-produced album, and while the arrangements themselves never seem over-indulgent (and are even refreshingly spare at times), some of the production does. The layers of vocal effects are especially regrettable because they can occasionally make it more difficult to parse the lyrics, which are perhaps the album's greatest strength.

    Like most concept albums, the story, as it were, is impressionistic, not a detailed blueprint for a three-act play. The first half is hopeful, driven by ego and delusion, evoking at turns the swagger or Prince, the unconditional self-love of Taylor Swift, and the dreams of glitz and glamor of hip-hop. The B-slide is a downward spiral of heartbreak, bargaining, and acceptance. While slathered in satire and maintaining a certain ironic distance, it still feels vaguely confessional; a grotesque exaggeration of Rose's worst inner demons.

    Superstar's 11 song cycle forms a more coherent whole than anything Rose has done to date, and like the best concept albums, its songs are often enhanced by their context and place in the arc of that playlist. But there are trade-offs that come with this narrower focus. While almost every song on Loner could stand on its own, Superstar's songs sometimes rely on that context. There are still some undeniable bangers like the electro-funk opener "Nothing's Impossible, the Prince-tinged anthem of self-love "Feel the Way I Want," and the neurotic and confessional "Do You Think We'll Last Forever," but there are others that mostly seem to serve as a bridge. Even then,

    Rose continues to be one of the most interesting songwriters in the pop world, and Superstar is ambitious, focused, and polished to a glittery sheen. While it may not showcase the breadth of her talents as well as her previous albums, it certainly plumbs their depths.    … Expand
  3. jpowell28
    Apr 22, 2020
    9
    I can't get enough of Caroline Rose. Her last album LONER was my favorite of 2018, and she has followed up with an album equal in its ambition and knack for perfect hooks and witty lyricism. Her latest Superstar is a fantastic concept album that draws heavily from modern pop, indie rock, disco and Prince-esque grooves. To say she is underrated is an understatement. She has created twoI can't get enough of Caroline Rose. Her last album LONER was my favorite of 2018, and she has followed up with an album equal in its ambition and knack for perfect hooks and witty lyricism. Her latest Superstar is a fantastic concept album that draws heavily from modern pop, indie rock, disco and Prince-esque grooves. To say she is underrated is an understatement. She has created two nearly flawless albums in a row (where she plays most if not all of the instruments) that just beg to hit the repeat button. Highlights: Feel the Way I Want, Back at the Beginning, Freak Like Me and Got to Go My Own Way. Of course, it's all good....… Expand
  4. Lajaleaa
    May 4, 2020
    8
    ( 80/100 )

    En su corta carrera musical, Caroline Rose muy rápidamente ha demostrado ser capaz de conquistar el placer auditivo del público con un Neon y Retro-Pop. Producido por ella misma, este segundo álbum de su carrera abunda en lujosos sonidos, música espacial, un concepto muy entretenido que varias veces incita a bailar. Definitivamente vale la pena escuchar "Superstar" y seguir    ( 80/100 )

    En su corta carrera musical, Caroline Rose muy rápidamente ha demostrado ser capaz de conquistar el placer auditivo del público con un Neon y Retro-Pop. Producido por ella misma, este segundo álbum de su carrera abunda en lujosos sonidos, música espacial, un concepto muy entretenido que varias veces incita a bailar. Definitivamente vale la pena escuchar "Superstar" y seguir muy de cerca la carrera de esta chica qué, sin dificultades se demuestra ser el Pop del futuro.
    -
    In her short musical career, Caroline Rose very quickly has shown to be capable of conquering the auditive pleasure of the public with a Neon and Retro-Pop. Produces by herself, this second album of her career is full of luxury sounds, space music, a very entertaining concept that makes you dance several times. It's totally worth hearing "Superstar" and follow very closely the career of this girl that, with no difficulties shows to be the future of Pop.    … Expand
  5. Lifeisbellablog
    Apr 19, 2020
    8
    It's a great pop album, with some unique elements thrown in there to add a little bit of flavor. It's very fun and enjoyable. My favorite track is "Do You Think We'll Last Forever?" I definitely look forward to seeing what Caroline Rose puts out next.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Q Magazine
    Apr 7, 2020
    80
    It's a record of quiet confidence, its brightness dialled down but its impact still fierce. [Jun 2020, p.100]
  2. musicOMH.com
    Mar 16, 2020
    70
    Superstar doesn’t quite hit the heights of its predecessor – at times, it feels like the whole concept of the album’s theme is getting in the way of creating a fully flowing album. When it works though, there’s enough evidence that Rose is still very much a superstar herself.
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  3. AllMusic
    Mar 10, 2020
    90
    Thankfully, Rose welcomes ambiguity in her songs, letting her lyrics cut against the sleek throb of her music. This tension lends Superstar its resonance: it's an album that admits that the darkest parts of fame are what make it so seductive.
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