This young and very talented woman hails from Herefordshire, England, second of four children, and started her musical career in 08' to her now chart topping success. Her music is really taking up all the airwaves, and deservedly so. She's even worked with other talented people such as Lissie, Calvin Harris, Skrillex, and Tinie Tempah. She has also released songs for big films such as "About Time", "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire", and the recently released "Divergent". It's apparent that she's very talented, as we can see from all this attention she's acquired from some big people in the music and film industries.
Today I want to explore her first full length record entitled "Lights" with some extra tracks, which ended up being entitled "Bright Lights". "Lights" + 7 bonus tracks = "Bright Lights". Got it?
1) Guns And Horses: Here is a great intro to Ellie Goulding. It shows her musical versatility by starting in an acoustic vibe, then jumping into a pop/dance vibe. Her voice is soft but strong and fits right in with the music. It's a great smooth song that's catchy and complimentive to her talents as an artist. This track was the 3rd single off of the album and reached #25 on the Scotland charts and #26 on the UK charts. This song is about an online love that went one-sided and feelings got hurt through frustration.
2) Starry Eyed: Here is the 2nd single off of the album that reached all the way to #3 in Scotland charts, followed up by #4 in the UK Singles charts. In a statement from Goulding, this song is about letting yourself go and doing what you enjoy. It was meant to reach a very broad audience to have it relate to each person in any way they enjoy themselves. This song has a very bright and cheerful tone to it, with all the music sounding as if floating around you and lifting you up. I think my favorite parts of the song are the choruses when all the sounds collide and reach their peak to show the power of all these sounds and music when put together.
3) This Love (Will Be Your Downfall): Here is a deep song with neat synths throughout. I'm not too sure what this songs meaning is, but from the way I interpreted it, it's about being in a relationship that you know is not good for either of you. Regret? Maybe. Again, I'm not too sure. A very nice song nonetheless.
4) Under The Sheets: This is the 1st single off of this record "Lights"/"Bright Lights", and is another deep one at that. It's about being in a relationship with no real meaning, just pure physical interest. Also a relationship that is bad for anyone. Without real love or meaning, it's just going to shatter. This song has great music that suggests the deep meaning in the lyrics. It's a little spacey with bass riffs that moves the song slowly around. I think my favorite lyrics are in the chorus that say "We're under the sheets, and you're killing me. In our house made of paper, your words all over me". To me, these lyrics mean hiding under a lie that everyone else can see through except you, because of being in denial. There's also one part of Ellies vocal performance I'd like to point out, because it just blows me away. At 3:16, when singing "you're killing me", she reaches a whole other octave higher with such ease and fluidity. Amazing!
5) The Writer: The 4th single off of the album, and my personal favorite song of the whole record. The meaning of this song is just how I interpreted the lyrics myself. It talks about how you would do anything, and change anything just to be noticed by that special someone. Very deep and somber indeed. According to Goulding, it was the most emotional song she had written, and it shows in her vocal performance as well. This track contains a very beautiful piano piece that touches your heart at its deepest. In the song, you can really hear the passion and the emotion in the singing, especially during the chorus, when it seems like, basically, begging how you could change just to be loved and wanted just like you want. Deep, deep song indeed.
6) Every Time You Go: This seems to be a song about a failed relationship. The emotional turmoil of trying to make something work that you know won't. The beat is a bit subtle, but still something to move to. You can hear the pain in the music itself, as if the emotion transfered through to the instruments.
7) Wish I Stayed: This song is tricky to describe. Its beat is still moving, but at the same time, the vibe is slower/lower; not as bright. This song sounds as if it's the aftermath of an emotional rollercoaster that is all the previous tracks. Like the state of body and mind you're in after a long, tiresome night out on the town. Neat track.
8) Your Biggest Mistake: The mood turns up a bit with this track. Still a heavy meaning beneath, lyric-wise, but the mood of the song itself is brighter; a little more jumpy. Like most of her songs are, the chorus just steals the show and are the climax of the songs, they get you into it and cheer you up in a way. For one, the deep lyrics let the listeners know that they are not the only ones going through such a situation. Secondly, the music gets you moving and it's, like I said, lifting and cheerful. Just like they say, "When you're happy, you hear the music. When you're sad, you listen to the words". Goulding really has quite a talent to put it all into one song.
9) I'll Hold My Breath: A classic love song? Perhaps. That's the way it feels here. If you're one of the lucky ones to have found that special someone; that soul mate, then you'll understand her words in this song. It talks of that pure bliss you get from being with your partner. That feeling you have when you just don't want to leave that persons side. Though a happy/blissful song, its got a lower dynamic, probably because it's that classic love song you dedicate to your special someone, and not just a "let's part and hook up" kind of song. Quite a special song we have here.
10) Salt Skin: Now here is a song you can really move to! A very catchy beat plus moving synths really pull you right in. Whether you notice at first or not, you might catch yourself moving to this song even if you're just tapping your toe inside of your shoe. Catchy! Besides all of that, also an fantastic vocal performance here. Great stuff
11) Lights: The 6th and final single from this great record. This is arguably one of her most successful songs. From reaching #1 on Polands Polish Airplay Top 20 AND US Mainstream Top 40, along with #1 by years end in the US Mainstream Top 40, it can be said that it was pretty successful. All along with that, this song was also one of the few to spend more than a year on the Billboard Hot 100. I've known this song as the "gateway drug" to Ellie Gouldings music. This song was the one that got lots of my friends into her, and I have used this song myself to show her music to other people as well. For good reasons this song is so popular and successful: 1) It's the catchiest, 2) The vocal performance is outstanding, 3) The video is quite an amazing light show. Many other reasons apply, but let's continue. This song was inspired by Ms. Gouldings childhood fear of the dark. A great way to turn an unfortunate memory to a positive song. This song is uplifting and makes you want to move and sing along. Also, the bass riffs stand out to me too, very driving/groovy, and really compliments the songs movement. Not another song quite like this one.
12) Human: I'm not too sure on the meaning behind this song, whether it's literally about an inhuman being wishing to be human, or figurative, in a sense of being emotionally dead. Nonetheless, this song has a bit of a futuristic/robotic tone. The beeping and whirling of sounds that you would expect to hear from some sort of robot all echo here and there in this song. A great and enigmatic song.
13) Little Dreams: Another love song, but a bit more dance/pop than "I'll Hold My Breath". It talks of the blindness of love, the level of attention you have, or should I say the lack of, when in love. Things just don't get caught by the brain when under the drug of love.
14) Home: Here's a bit more of an acoustic/techy song. Lots of acoustic guitar, but still popish elements like electric drums and synths moving around this song. A bit of a slower song, but still something to dance to. It feels like a song you would listen to while looking up at the night sky full of bright stars. Neat musical composition.
15) Animal: This is more of a mystical song; it's really catalized by that harp intro. Even when it gets into the really dancey stuff that you would jump to, it's still mystical and mysterious. Kind of like of the music was covered by fog, if that makes sense. A great song to turn up at a club to get the people moving.
16) Believe Me: This sounds like a classic the-album's-almost-over song. A bit soft, yet aired/spacey. Nice beats to keep you pumped, and, not sure how to describe it, but just a sense of calm and fulfilment with this song. The vocals also carry the song through with nice and soothing melodies, but still reaching great high notes with such ease. This song also sounds like one you would see everyone move to together at a concert. Everyone jumping and dancing as one.
17) Your Song (Elton John cover): If you have not heard the original, YOU DON'T LISTEN TO MUSIC. GO LISTEN TO IT. Anyway. This here is the penultimate single off this record, and a grand way to close an album. What better that to close your first full length album than by paying tribute to one of your influences?? Her cover is one that stands out. She stays true to the original, save for a few verses, but with her own melodic twist, and the piano creates a great adaptation of Elton's classic tune, and not as elaborate also. A really great cover and she really does the original some justice. Great cover Ellie.
This is quite a deep and emotional album, and it really touches your heart. Ellie Goulding is a wonderful artist/musician and she will go very very far with her music. I am a true E.G. fan. No. Not just a fan, a big fanatic! This record, either "Lights" or "Bright Lights", is worth the money to buy, but honestly, you're better off buying the later, because of the extra great tracks. Acquire this record or you'll be missing out on the latest and greatest pop sensation that is Ellie Goulding. This is truly an album for all music collectors and collections.
-Cerpin Taxt