Review 4: Remi Wolf - Big Ideas

#35 Remi Wolf, Big Ideas

Remi Wolf (stage name? I think so) is someone I don't think I've listened to or heard any songs. Again a new artist for me to check out and see what's going on. Remi's #35 album of Billboards top 50 albums of 2024. Here's what Billboard has to say about Remi's third album:

"Alt-pop artist Remi Wolf has long been associated with funk sounds underlining witty lyrics that hint at something more existential. But on Big Ideas, Wolf’s wide-ranging third studio album, the soul-pop singer dives head first into the sounds and lyrics that make her music stand out. Whether she’s playing with the concept of domesticity (“Motorcycle”), feeling isolated in a relationship (“Alone in Miami”) or revving herself up for some kinky hotel sex (“Toro”), Wolf spends Big Ideas swinging for the fences with her lyrics, all while blending in a healthy balance of ’80s pop, ’70s funk and ’60s soul to make a sound all her own."

I like lots of 80's pop, 70's funk and 60's soul so here we go!

TLDR: Scroll down to the bottom for the overview and rating

1. Cinderella

Funky, 70's with synth horns. It gives me "Pass the Dutchie" vibes (but in a good way), just no Jamaican singing drums. Lots of 70's and early 80's feels. Nice rhythm's. Dry instrumentation, with the exception of the melody. Easy to listen to.

2. Soup

This one has 80's synth pop feels. Very different from the first song Cinderella. Mix sounds very different as well. Slap back and longer reverbs aid the melody. Wider left/right stereo. Difficult to her the annunciation in the chorus perhaps due to that wideness. Another easy to listen to song.

3. Motorcycle

This has 60's R&B feels. Slow brushes on the snare and what sounds like a 28" boomy bass drum. I like this one - the chorus throws me back to 1977 listening to motown records. The reverb on her voice is an old throwback plate - one that hangs in the basement of the studio with a speaker behind it and a SM57 6 feet away. Short song - I wished it would have kept going.

4. Toro

Funky bass lines jump out. Fairly straight drum beat - claps add some nice accents. Is it all moog bass or is there a Jazz bass filling in? Feels like this is something that could have been played in Studio 57 in a different world timeline. I find my head bobbing. Again another easy listen.

5. Alone in Miami

Guitar progression sounds like something I would have written in the 1990's. The melody lines are interesting - double vocals, some external distortion added for texture. Good singing - a bit back in the mix - retro.

6. Cherries & Cream

1970's prog rock sound effects, over synth patches. Chorus guitar comes in with fluttering sound effects. 1970 Beatle-esque soundscape from something off Yellow Submarine from a different dimension. Progresses into an acoustic with a bit of funk/latin in the chorus. Interesting mix of genres. The glue is the melody keeping it together. Again different than all the other songs on the album.

7. Kangaroo

Distorted vocals. Immediately I get some Bjork influences. Bass drums have some distortion on them as well. Chorus clears up the melody - the rest of the instruments stay a bit distorted.

8. Pitiful

Playful synth and shaker. Very pop feel. Youthful feels. Retro synth melody between chorus/verse.

9. Wave

Funky / Guitars with phaser. Pop-ish. This song focuses the melody and singing. Chorus build is nice. Heavy synth - almost dub-step synth. Simple song.

10. When I thought of you

Ballad feels. Whistle melody line - made me smile. Hates the auto-tune line - made me cringe. Chorus was good. The lyrics are very relatable. The song never really breaks out. I want distorted guitars to just rip, but it's just teasing.

11. Frog Rock

Amazingly, the song opens with frogs. Who'd have thunk it!? Lyrical tempo and timing is really different in a good way. Very pop. This gives me "When it's over" by Sugar Ray vibes. Very much a 90's pop feel.

12. Just the Start

This sounds like a Kimya Dawson song - very strong Kimya vibes here. Could have been on the Juno soundtrack if it was 20 years earlier. Of course I love Kimya low-fi style and this song very much replicates it. Sounds like this was recorded on a 4-track personal recorder in 1988.

13. Slay Bitch - Bonus Track

Very much feels like an early 1990's R&B song. Lots of modification on her vocals, octavizer maybe or just changing the scale - not quite chipmunks but half-way there. A bit of Michael Jackson, mixed with Bell Biv DeVoe, a smidge of Toni Toni Tone, and a touch of Keith Sweat. My least liked song on the album but hey, it's a bonus track so I'm not gonna judge.

Overall view:

I liked this album. The main reason is because Remi's influences, song sound choices, genre choices are immediately recognizable to someone of my age group as influenced by various R&B / Motown artists, 70's Prog Rock, 90's indie like Bjork or 90's Sugar Ray pop. The run of the mill 17 year old listening to these songs aren't going to recognize those influences, those sounds, those drum beats. They won't probably recognize the 60's R&B feel, the Beatle-esque sounds, the 90's R&B feels. It's clear Remi does recognize those artists (or maybe her producers know and created the album this way?) and to me, it's comfortable - like a broken in chair you've planted your butt on for 10 years. Remi's singing is top notch. Production value is very good. Perhaps because of the jumping between genre's of music, the mixing style and mastering style of this album is not consistent, which I LIKE. I hear the influences in each song, I hear the differences in mixing, instrumentation. Some songs Remi's voice in right on top of the mix, others it's retro and back behind the music.

I have to say of all the albums so far, with the exception of the last bonus song, I could easily put this album on in my headphones or in the background, and it's like a familiar sweatshirt. Maybe I like it because it makes me nostalgic. Younger listeners - this could be the gateway into 60's though 1990's motown, R&B, pop and funk.

6.7/10