Lorde's "Ribs" - Song Review

     Sixteen-year-old New Zealand singer Lorde has been having quite the successful run these past few months. After releasing the insanely catchy "Royals", and recently sending it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the artist is now celebrating critical acclaim towards her debut album, Pure Heroin, released just last week.

     The album, which should chart nicely in the U.S., is preceded by two other official singles, "Tennis Court" and "Team", as well as "Ribs", which is being offered as iTunes' Free Single of the Week. The new song has confirmed to me that the young girl with the breathtaking vocals and jaw-dropping gorgeous looks is much more than your typical one hit wonder. Having said before that she feels a disconnection towards modern pop music, it seems Lorde is showing everyone what real music really is.

     "Ribs" is definitely a step up from "Royals", a song I could not completely fall in love with due to immature, amateurish lyrics. However, if the artist's album contains more gems as the new free single, then I may just have to eat my own words. With soft, melodramatic vocals, Lorde sings about the fears of getting older. A fear that envelops me almost every single day. While a few critics have labeled the track as "underwhelming", lines such as "this dream isn't feeling sweet, we're reeling through the midnight streets, and I've never felt more alone, it feels so scary getting old" tell me a different story. Best line of 2013 so far! I wanted to see more lyrical growth from Lorde and I'm getting it.

     Pure Heroin was release last week, I have not had a chance to get my hands on a copy, but I can only imagine it is worthy of the immense praise it has been receiving. While "Royals" was an okay song, one that would get the artist on the map, (see Gaga's "Just Dance" and Perry's "I Kissed A Girl"), I knew it was not all Lorde was capable of bringing to the table. Recent single "Team" and "Ribs" are much better offerings with proof that the girl has what it takes to be a successful act, move over Lana Del Rey. There are not many tracks out there that bring tears to my eyes, but for some bizarre reason, "Ribs" has done just that. Go get the song, it's free anyway!

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