The Daily Spin, April 8
MARINA | Electra Heart
Welcome back to the Daily Spin, the series in which I review 365 albums during 2023. We’ve made it through the first quarter!
Each album will be given a rating on a scale from 0 to 10. You can look at the entire set here. Additionally, you can check out a list of my favorite song from each album right here.
If you want to suggest an album, good news! You can do so right here!
Album: Electra Heart (2012)
Artist: MARINA
Link:
This album feels like a slightly angstier, slightly more pop-punk-like version of Lady Gaga’s phenomenal The Fame Monster or Born This Way - albums that were ahead of their time, revolutionary in the best way. Because I’ve already reviewed The Fame Monster, I feel somewhat limited in what I can say about this one - yes, the rock elements shine through a bit more on this one as a differentiator, but after a while, they begin to feel much the same.
Where it really finds its stride is when it’s willing to step out of that shadow - the back half of the album finds its footing well better than the front half, which is a bit too synth-driven and Gaga-like for me to separate it as its own distinct artform.
The album excels at its high points, but there are a few too many potholes for me to ever really get into a groove - it’s limiting itself in its structure, throwing wrenches in where they aren’t necessary, and that’s the biggest pitfall of the entire thing.
Rating: 8.0/10
Best Tracks: Hypocrates; Lonely Hearts Club; How to Be a Heartbreaker
Worst Tracks: Living Dead; Buy the Stars