Alessia Cara - The Pains of Growing

Alessia Cara
The Pains of Growing
2018
Spotify

After the smash that was Know-It-All Alessia Cara had an uphill battle to fight on this second album. Released when she was 19 Her previous record found a wonderful balance of being in the middle of an experience and still being able to articulate it. She found a space for the wallflowers and the people swimming in their own heads every moment. It was empowerment through anxiety and self realization. It had a little something for everyone who has felt like an other, sitting on the outside of what looks like what everyone else is doing. Now 22 Alessia's approach hasn't changed much, it's just grown up. She is able to shift those same emotions and that same anxious energy to this new record The Pains of Growing. Sadness permeates almost the entire record with songs like "I Don't Want To" showing the singer struggling with not being with the right person, but also being afraid of being alone. It's in direct conflict with the idea that "I'm better on my own!" that so many female artists like to play upon, but it also feels far more honest. There are a few times here where the production feels a bit like an aggregation. The soul inspired songs feel like they are a direct line from Amy Winehouse while some of the guitars feel eerily like early The xx. It is always her lyrics that pull the music out of any trouble, but you can't help but think if the production was a little more diverse you might have a better album on your hands.

"Wherever I Live" an acoustic number about making any place you find yourself your home feels a bit on the nose for Cara. The just me and my acoustic vibe fits her fine, but it feels so incredibly done to death. The production is really quite generic so the album just sails by. You'll find yourself looking for a hit, something to bop to like "Here" or "Seventeen". It's not that this album isn't inspired it's just that it never makes you stand up and take notice. The Pains of Growing sort of hangs in the background waiting to be approached. "Comfortable" has a doo wop feel to it but because Alessia's vocal already has a throw back vibe to it, it just makes the whole feel track seem like an imitation. The album is not super long at 45 minutes but the last few tracks drag really hard almost like Cara wanted to bring the record to a slow wind down rather than leaving your wanting more. As far as sophomore records go you can't be too mad at The Pains of Growing because it ticks all the boxes it needed to in order to keep Cara's name in the front of your mind. You just end up wishing this record did more.

7.0 out of 10