Banks Album Review: The Altar
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Banks Album Review: The Altar

The ultimate catharsis for Banks and for all of us.

44
Banks Album Review: The Altar
Music Times

Released last Friday, September 30, The Altar by Jillian Rose Banks, better known as simply Banks, is detailed, confessional, and cutting-edge personal. The album cover offers a glimpse of this open honesty; a grayscale image of Banks without makeup and with her curly hair in a simple updo stares directly at the camera, every freckle on her face visible. Already this was a contrast from her debut album Goddess, where she was only in profile; while Goddess, too, was intensely personal and introduced Banks onto the music scene as a reigning music indie queen, it was more introverted and downtempo. In contrast, The Altar, from the get-go, is darker, grittier and more rhythmic, but whereas other artists too often lose a sense of honesty and closeness in taking their music in a larger direction, Banks retains the same diaristic, confessional, bleeding honesty that so many had fallen in love with.

In fact, sometimes in its intense ferocity, it often comes off as even more honest than Goddess. Every song finds Banks baring her all, offering all her all her pure emotions before the world to flare in front of us, whether they manifest in the stream of longing seen in “Lovesick” (“I’m lovesick, I’m not even ashamed/ And I’m hard up for some time in your sheets”), the explosion of fury and paranoia in “Trainwreck,” or the brooding introspection of “Mother Earth.” And in “Mind Games,” arguably her most emotional song ever, her voice rings with almost-tangible desperation: “Do you see me now?”

There’s also an experimentation with different musical landscapes here that add enough variety to prevent the album from dragging into a slew of drudgery. Judas’s dark, hip-hop influenced rhythm elevate the song as one of the best on the album; they perfectly complement the chilling lyrical imagery (“I found all your skeletons, a closet full of bones/ I see you take pride in bloody eyes, I know you’re stoned”). Trainwreck is arguably the most experimental song in Banks’s discography, with almost rap-like, rapid-fire verses interspersing a trappy, electronic chorus that explodes like a bomb, where Bank does not hold back in the slightest for taunting her ex-lover (“Hey, you try to compensate/ For thinking with you one brain I should decapitate”). “Haunt,” “Weaker Girl,” and “This Is Not About Us” are excellently crafted and multilayered R&B. The distorted male background vocals in “Poltergeist” and “Mind Games” add so much texture. Lead single “Fuck With Myself” has sparse instrumentation and a seductive vocal performance that calls to mind FKA Twiggs.

For those who prefer the instrumentation on Goddess, there’s still plenty of material to please their preferences. “Mother Earth” find Banks pulling herself out of her depression, singing modestly over strumming guitar and some orchestral string—it’s a vulnerable ballad reminiscent of much of Goddess. The pulsing, downtempo rhythm and sensual vocal delivery of “Lovesick” make it timeless as Banks perfectly encapsulates the pure, yearning desire of love. “To The Hilt” is a classic Banks piano ballad, mourning a dead relationship and the emptiness that comes with it, including the loss of creativity, musically much like “Waiting Game” or “You Should Know Where I’m Coming From.”

Banks has clearly sharpened both her lyrical and melodical writing from her debut. Whereas on Goddess, some of the lyrics seem clunkily woven into the melodies (see the bridge of “Someone New”), there are few of these violations on The Altar. Opening track “Gemini Feed”, released as the second single, epitomizes these improvements. For a song of the traditional structure, it’s one of Bank’s most succinct lyrical wise, yet every word uttered packs a punch, and the chorus hits as one of her catchiest ever, exploding with “And to think you would get me to the altar/ Like I follow you around like a dog that needs water.” Judas has perhaps my favorite lyric in the whole album: “All the mystique of your pretentiousness is fading”.

But it’s not just that the lyrics themselves have become better (even before, they had been exceptional), but it seems Banks has become so much more courageous in the way she asserts them. In “Weaker Girl”, she directly declares to a former lover: “I think you need a weaker girl/ ‘Cause I’mma need a bad motherfucker like me”. Similarly, in “This Is Not About Us”, direct even in the title of the song, she implicates her partner “I see you clinging to your pinch of hope/ Trying to get in my bed/ You should be thinking of a way of moving on instead”. If this is what being savage is, then bring it on.

One thing’s for sure—music is clearly the ultimate catharsis for Jillian Banks. And in the process of healing herself, she will heal so many heartbroken fans who turn to her music when they, too, need emotional relief and to feel less lonely in a chaotic world.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71560
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133529
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments