Electra Heart is Marina and the Diamonds 2nd  major release.  One thing that comes through on this album is a sense of finely crafted pop songs, not just the quick and spit-em-out pop songs, as thin as cabbage soup.  These songs are meaty, and with a depth not usually seen in the teen-pop genre.

Here is the album at a glance:

Bubblegum Bitch is 1980s chains-and-leather tough with a modern pop touch.

Primadonna starts soft and then breaks dirty harder with a very distorted bass.  There’s so much attitude here just LISTENING to it will probably get you thrown in detention.  Better watch that sass, missy.  There’s a touch of Katy Perry in this song, like Perry, the good witch of pop music, flew over and waved her sparkling wand.  It’s not quite “Fireworks,” but something similar comes through.

Starring Role is slow but hip, and there’s a sense of loss the penetrates through the electronic drum beat and electronic flourishes.  Marina’s powerful falsetto is the show stopper on this one (and many others through-out the album.

Teen Idle is the album’s highlight.  This slow song packs a punch with its shoulda-woulda-coulda longing.  The message is “wish I wouldn’t have been such a good girl, and had had some fun along the way.”  Sounds like Marina is living her wish now, though, because the lyrics definitely aren’t good-girl approved.  Check out some of the highlights below:

“I want blood, guts, and angel cake

I’m gonna puke it anyway”

and

“Wish I’d been a prom queen fighting for the title

Instead of being 16 and burning up a bible

Feeling super super super suicidal.”

Teen Idol has a feel that’s bigger than the track itself, and is reminiscent of the kind of sad and epic sclae found in Nightwish’s song Sleeping Sun.  The combination of the sadness with the sarcastic and in-your-face attitude goes well together, and is unlike anything else I’ve heard.  This track is highly recommended.