It's been three years since the last album from Australian musician Stella Donnelly. In that time, Stella's refined her approach a bit, with her new record, Flood revealing a precise pop sense.
"How Was Your Day?" is bright on the surface with conflict lurking within the lyrics, while "Lungs" is peppier still. Stella's brand of indie-pop is one that's full of smooth hooks and light keyboard patterns, but her performances hint at additional emotions. At her best here, like on the insistent "Move Me", Stella's vulnerability as a singer allows her to communicate some big feelings with minimal efforts. Even better is something like "Morning Silence" near the end of the album. This one, elegantly simple, is one of her best songs to date.
Flood is out now via Secretly Canadian.
[Photo: Olivia Senior]