Album Review: Marika Hackman Wants Any Human Friend
Listening to Marika Hackman’s Any Human Friend, I kept on thinking of my friend who, laughingly, yelped, “You’ve Changed!” when I came back from a trip. Hackman has changed. Her debut, I’m Not Your Man, felt like a lover’s lane built on a lonely road. She discussed connecting with lovers versus connecting with herself, and the result was a moody, indie rock record that felt titular in youth. Yet, this new record is a more bombastic look into the “lonelies.”
I mention “my friend” story because , to her fans, Marika feels like their best bud in Brooklyn. Her voice encompasses all the coffee shop chatter that broke off when two laptops/ people sat together. You may laugh at the analogy, but in the world coffee and free Wi-Fi lies philosophical and self-analytical conversations. We are always casually reflecting upon ourselves, even if we are not accepting. Like a friend coming back from a trip, Marika feels different. In a weird way, realizing and analyzing why you are lonely makes you less lonely, which her lyrics tenaciously observe.
While her melodies for “The One,” “Come Undone,” and “Send My Love” surf with more power and prowess in chords, Marika will never lose her penchant for a tender ballad such as, “Wanderlust” and “All Night.” Thus, Any Human Friend feels like Marika’s acceptance of her common-ground with others: loneliness. She has high highs and low lows, in terms of her connections with others, and her voice literally embraces that. Her control and pitch feel pumped as if she is more decisive over how a note reflects an emotion. Yet, when you are talking about your sex and romantic life, choice becomes a powerful player.
Marika Hackman – i’m not where you are
For some, saying the name of your victimizer or “demon” is empowering; replacing the silence of fear with a loud, marked title. Hackman does this with a loud, marked album. Any Human Friend changes her style and flares it with a riot girl style that is irresistible. You join her in her sexual/ romantic escapades as she frees her body and soul. For More information on Marika Hackman’s Any Human Friend Click Here.
