Clever callbacks, witty vocals, and captivating instrumentals; it wouldn’t be fall without a Laufey album. A Matter of Time, singer songwriter Laufey’s third album, recently released on Aug. 22.
Laufey, in her typical fashion, dropped several songs (small breadcrumbs hinting to the albums themes, if you will) prior to the release of the full album. A Matter of Time explores all things love and relationships: the good, the bad, and the profoundly heartbreaking.
Laufey lulls listeners into a false sense of security, with tracks like “Clockwork” and “Lover Girl,” that have jazzy, upbeat titles all about the joys of falling in love. In “Clockwork” Laufey remarks: “Swore that I’d never do this again/ Think that I’m so clever I could date a friend,” starting the album in a light, charming way.
However, it wouldn’t be a Laufey album without a jarring curveball. A massive, gut wrenching curveball at that. The tone of the album immediately switches with one such song: “Too Little, Too Late,”telling the tale of losing the love of one’s life, and watching that person move on.
In a testament to her artistry, Laufey hides references to several songs on her sophomore album Bewitched serving to further the story of the song. Most notably, the melody of a song also entitled “Bewitched” appears at the end of “Too Little, Too Late,” a song once reminiscent of love and admiration now representative of bitter heartbreak and yearning.
It begins with love, and ends with sorrow. But what comes after? Laufey answers that question with the song “Clean Air.” In composition similar to the beginning of the album, Laufey expresses how she feels after a break up, remarking that she is “breathing clean, clean air.”
Laufey’s A Matter of Time beautifully showcases the multitude of emotions that comes with falling in love. Perhaps the most mesmerizing part of the album is Laufey’s ability to expertly craft a narrative without explicitly saying it: people will fall in love time and time again, just like clockwork.
