It’s been two weeks (give or take) since Lorde released her second album, Melodrama. We aren’t a music blog, but we have a lot of feelings about this album. Here is a list:

Liz says:

• Stephanie texted me to ask if Australia can claim Lorde as our own yet. This is why New Zealand hates us, but also I tried at Continuum and Lynnelle said no.
• A certain friend of No Award is quite insistent that “Green Light”, and possibly the whole album, is based on Lorde’s observations of the Hiddelswift affair. I say, look, not everything is about Taylor Swift, but there’s no denying that Tom Hiddleston has big teeth.
• I’ve been obsessed with the broken rhyme (“truth”/”liar”) in “Green Light” since it came out in February.
• I also listened to the entire “Lorde: Behind the Melodrama” podcast released by thespinoff.co.nz, in which she goes through the album track by track, discussing the writing process, and I totally rate it. She’s just so clever! And observant! And not at all shy about saying she thinks her songs are quite good.
• But she also talks about how wearying it is to have to prove herself to every guy (and it is mostly guys) that she collaborates with, and how liberating it was when she stopped trying so hard to persuade people that she’s clever and talented.
• (The only female collaborator on the album is Tove Lo, which is fascinating to me because they’re both so different in style and approach. Also I wonder why Tove Lo is the only other woman, and if there is just a lack of women behind the scenes in pop music right now, and why that is. Because ten years ago, every second song was written by Linda Perry.)
• (But a lot of female producers/writers/topliners have very strong solo brands as well — Sia, for example — and I can see how that might overshadow Lorde’s style?)
• (I am mostly struggling for an answer that’s not “both industry and internalised sexism”.)
• It’s hard to pick a favourite song, but “The Louvre” burst into my life at the exact same time as my Time Lord Feelings were rekindled.
• On the other hand, “Perfect Places”. Is there a line that better sums up the current era than “I hate the headlines and the weather”? It was specifically written about the United States in mid-2016, and yet it’s so very … applicable.
• Hands up everyone who listened to “Liability” and kind of went, “Is she … okay?”
• (I’ve seen reviews saying that this album is very reminiscent of Tori Amos, but I think it’s more that Lorde and Tori were both drawing inspiration from Kate Bush, and also they come from similar places of being Gifted Adolescents Who Are Growing/Have Grown Up.)

Steph says:

• I know that ‘Green Light’ isn’t actually about sharks, AND YET I love it so much and think about sharks every time. (Also obviously this is a great breakup song, thanks, Lorde, it’s going on at least half of my playlists.)
• Maybe ‘Supercut’ is my favourite song, except then I get to ‘The Louvre’ which is probably the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard! “In the back, but still, the Louvre” makes me smile every time.
• Sober is also really good?
• Look, every song is fun and I am just having a really good time.
• Even the line ‘broadcast the boom boom boom boom / make them all dance to it’ is fun and I will, thank you.
• Did we all hear about the onion ring reviewer thingy? Liz and I agree that we’d like to go eat onion rings with Lorde, except I would order potato cakes (or hash browns, if we were in the USA), because onion rings are a shameful waste of batter.