Since the release of her last album Queen of the Clouds, Tove Lo has been working on the creation of a darker pop album that is accompanied by a short-film entitled “Fairy Dust.” Like Queen of the Clouds, Tove Lo’s new album Lady Wood is a testament to the culture of sex, drugs, and pop music. The album is both entertaining and provocative with seductive lyrics and catchy beats. Girl-power is an obvious theme of the album, starting with the album title “Lady Wood,” a not-so-subtle reference to a new take on sexual arousal. However, the album seems to be less concerned with empowering women as a whole and more focused on the journey of a young woman trying to justify wild behavior and navigate the emotional rollercoaster of life.
The album is split into two chapters. While the two chapters should be appreciated together as two parts of Lo’s life and identity, they should also be analyzed separately different emotions and images they elicit. The first chapter, “Fairy Dust,” refers to the rush of adrenaline that Lo experiences when she is in love or using drugs. In contrast, the second chapter, “Fire Fade,” is about coming down from the high.
“Fairy Dust” begins with a titular 57-second instrumental track that starts with the sounds of someone lighting a joint followed by an exaggerated hum that fades into a mellow rhythm. It seems appropriate that Lo should start this chapter on a drug-induced high as the second song of this chapter is all about how she is “under the influence.” On this track, she warns the listener, “don’t trust every word I say,” establishing herself as an enigmatic and maybe even dangerous woman. She continues to play on this part of her identity with the succeeding songs in this chapter, especially with “True Disaster” and “Cool Girl.” Both songs stress Lo’s wish to portray herself as strong and incapable of being tied down with lyrics like “Come on, zero f*cks about it” (“True Disaster”) and “ice cold, I roll my eyes at you, boy” (“Cool Girl.”)
Like the first chapter, “Fire Fade,” begins with a very short track that features a space-like feel and Lo’s faded voice saying, “I don’t know where I am… I don’t know.” She is coming down from the high induced in the first chapter, and she now has to take a hard look at herself. However, she continues to run from her emotions as noted in the songs “Don’t Talk About It” and “Keep It Simple.” In the former, Lo repeatedly refuses to talk about real issues, preferring to live in a fantasy world and “sweep it under the rug like we do.” However, this wild and free life seems much more depressing in this chapter than in the first one. “Keep It Simple” shows Lo trying to evade heartbreak by keeping it simple so “I don’t have to face you” because “I ain’t ready for you.” At first glance, it might seem like she is talking to the man that she is in a love affair with; however, it seems likely that she might actually be talking to herself. Based on her inability to open herself up to others, it is evident that she has a lot of internal issues with attachment and insecurity that she refuses to work through. Tove Lo would rather run recklessly away than stay and stand face to face with herself. However, as she comes down from her high, she becomes increasingly aware that her problems have not disappeared.
Overall, the album is creative in the way that it shows the different facets of Tove Lo’s identity. Lo is an edgy wild child trying to navigate the complications of her womanhood. She tells her story with memorable beats and relatable yet sometimes haunting lyrics that make for a great album. The Queen of the Clouds is back and bolder than ever with Lady Wood.
Voices Choices: “True Disaster;” “Imaginary Friend”
