Cool

Album review

For her fourth album, LA's Colleen Green does indeed exude an effortless cool. She doesn't need to raise her voice to make an impression, instead choosing to practically whisper on "Someone Else" (which, with its groovy bass and needling guitar, has a Kim Deal feel to it). There are other '90s echoes at play, too. With sleazy guitar, lurking bass and cute "oh-whoa"s "You Don't Exist" could be a That Dog song, but Green is armed with feelings that are totally 2021. Sounding like a talking doll that's gone haywire, she sings about the social media bite of being nobody unless enough people are paying attention. Which may not be cool to admit, but then again maybe that's exactly what makes it real-girl cool. Green is also not afraid to be sincere. "It's Nice to Be Nice" borrows Tuscadero harmonies and quirk for a simple message: "Been hating on everyone as of late/ I used to be fun," she sings before deciding, "It's nice to be nice, it's good to be good." The blissfully slow-moving zone-out of "I Believe in Love" comes on Whip-Smart-era Liz Phair, while "I Wanna Be a Dog" recalls that queen's sly and sunny moments. Its peppy rhythm bounces along as Green playfully dives into metaphor: "I'm still communicating from my tail … I get so bored when no one's playing with me." She has a pleasantly casual, low-stakes sense of wordplay, never afraid of being too basic. "I don't like it when you take the highway, it just goes on an on," she chants, like the low growl of a cat giving warning, while a sneaky guitar creeps on "Highway": "People speeding and competing/ Burning rubber, burning grease/ I just need a little peace." Inflected with a mischievous rockabilly melody, "How Much Should You Love a Husband?" is absolutely irresistible as Green wonders if life is better when you hitch your wagon to someone else's star. "How does it feel to be going out with a lawyer/ Is he the one who negotiates the power?" she coos. Sometimes, she plays it cool by being coy, like on "Natural Chorus" where the drums pace like an animal in a cage for the first 1:40 before Green briefly swoops in to sing—then the whole thing erupts into a cartoon theme, complete with spacey New Wave guitar. The album rides out on the lazy-morning instrumental "Pressure to Cum," bass thrumming before a slow-hand guitar pokes in, then the whole thing sparkles and shines like sun bursting through clouds. Message received. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz