HIT ME HARD AND SOFT＜限定盤/Exclusive Vinyl ＞

In between albums, Billie Eilish won two Oscars, a pair of Golden Globes, and a handful of Grammy Awards. What would typically be huge feats for regular folks has become the norm for the dynamic duo of Eilish and her brother, Finneas, but could they extend that success for another album cycle? For that third effort, Hit Me Hard and Soft, she didnt offer an advance single or major promotion, a move that might have been construed as getting ahead of any negative critical evaluation. And yet, it simply signaled a quiet confidence in the project, which is another home run. This pair can really do anything. A brisk ten songs, this is a "no skips" gem that is ideal for leaving on repeat and getting lost in the hazy, yearning snapshots of lust, longing, and heartbreak. Surprises reveal themselves around every turn -- orchestral backing, electronic breaks, sudden crescendos -- as songs transition seamlessly from one to another. Kicking off with the vulnerable "Skinny," Eilish sets the scene for the album, touching upon everything shes been dealing with by being in the public eye as she tries to find herself as a young person navigating relationships and identity. Her vocals continue to develop, stretching past her usual range and exploring subtle, but captivating runs. Set to lush string backing and warm production, it builds to shiver-inducing levels before landing on "Lunch," an adorably horny little bop that rides thumping bass and twinkling keys through hazy feedback and refreshingly candid lyrical territory where she admits, "Its a craving, not a crush." That thick, elastic bass travels into the hypnotic "Chihiro" -- named after the Spirited Away character -- another vocal showcase for Eilishs acrobatics that goes intergalactic in the back half. "Birds of a Feather" is a breezy dose of pop songcraft, while "Wildflower" teases campfire simplicity with sweet humming and confessional storytelling before, once again, building to powerful, goosebump-inducing heights. The cathartic "The Greatest" takes it a step further with a showstopping bridge that features a stadium-sized swell of crashing guitars, pounding drums, and Eilishs most impassioned delivery here. Just as this kind of "starts one way, ends on another" tactic starts to become apparent, Eilish catches listeners off guard with the jazzy, vocal pop delivery of the French cafe gem "Lamour de Ma Vie," which seems fairly straightforward until the synths kick in and the track transforms into a throbbing Y2K raver. After the scary stalker trauma of "The Diner" transports the set back to the dark, unnerving world of When We All Fall Asleep, the understated "Bittersuite" examines a dissolving relationship that eventually falls apart on the expanding closer "Blue." Tight, simple, and effective, Hit Me Hard and Soft does just that: it comes in with a bang, thrilling with fresh production and heavy lyrical content, before easing the listener into the murky emotional depths seen on the cover art. Its an ideal synthesis of the ever-developing style that Billie and Finneas have been crafting since the late 2010s on their continuing campaign to rule the music world. ~ Neil Z. Yeung