The world received its first exposure to Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, better known as Lorde, in March of 2013, when she released The Love Club, a highly acclaimed extended play.  Though only five songs in length, the album drew rave reviews from critics and fans alike.  Bolstered by the title track and the hit “Royals,” Lorde’s most successful and well-known song to date, the EP was a juggernaut, and thrust the 16-year-old New Zealand native into the spotlight.

 Following on the success of The Love Club and “Royals,” which eventually won Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards, Lorde, now 17 (and still more talented than the author of this review), released her first studio album, Pure Heroine, in September of 2013.   As her first studio album, this created significant pressure on her to make a statement with the release.  After listening to the album, the answer as to whether or not she handled the pressure is quite clear.

 The album begins with “Tennis Court,” a phenomenal single discussing Lorde’s initial reactions to fame.  She expresses contempt for the superficiality and opulence of those with wealth and fame, especially those in the music industry, and instead talks about her comfort with her previous way of life.  The song’s title references a place where she spent time as a child, but may also refer to the Tennis Court Oath, which was signed prior to the French Revolution as an expression of opposition to King Louis XVI.  In this case, the wealthy and powerful were opposed by commoners, showing a striking parallel to Lorde’s messages.  Whatever the true meaning, this song is nothing short of a masterpiece, and one of the best songs of 2013.

 “400 Lux” follows, which though excellent, is not quite as impressive as its predecessor, as the instrumental seems similar at times to “Royals.”  Several interpretations have been found, such as heroin use, but it seems most likely that the song is talking about teenage relationships.  In short, it is a love song, with Lorde talking about spending time with someone and having enjoyed that time.  Once again, the title is a stroke of brilliance.  Lux is a unit for measuring light, and 400 Lux is the brightness of sunrise and sunset, two events that people consider beautiful.  Thus, through the title, she offers commentary on just how much she has enjoyed time with this person.  It is another standout on the album.

 The third track is “Royals,” which is another masterpiece and standout.  Also featured on Lorde’s debut EP, it features Lorde discussing how she has always been a normal person, and how musicians seem to only write about their material goods, opulence, getting “turnt up,” and partying until something gets damaged.  It is an appeal to common people everywhere, encouraging them to look for something else in their music; something that they can relate to.    “Ribs,” a song about growing up, follows.  I did not care for this one’s repetitive lyrics, something that does not work in a shorter song.  However, and this might be because I am a senior bound to go to college next year, a major step in my life that daunts me and saddens me, the message here speaks to me.  Growing up is something we all want, but when we grow up, we realize that we want our youth again.  It’s a scary transition for anyone.  The message here is enough to overcome the repetitive nature of the song.  Plus if I type anymore about this song I might start crying…moving on.

 “Buzzcut Season” follows, and is yet another solid effort, which has a more ambiguous meaning.  From what I can tell, it discusses the media’s romanticization of certain things, which affects how people act.  The song condemns this, saying that average people aren’t seen as they should be.  It does not impress as much as its predecessors, but it is still good, very good.

 “Team” is next, which features Lorde talking about her friends and home in New Zealand.  It’s a sort of hometown tribute, with Lorde talking about how everyone supports one another.  This is a recovery from a few songs that failed to live up to the first several.  It is a masterpiece and a standout from what has proven to be a strong debut album for Lorde.

 “Glory and Gore,” a commentary on the obsession with violence our society has, is less impressive, but still good.  The defiance in this song is apparent and continues to be a theme on this album.  Again, the song is not bad, but it does little to make itself stand out from the first half of the album, which are some of the year’s best songs.

 “Still Sane” is a major rebound, as it sees Lorde talking about how she has not yet been corrupted by her fame and how a constant emphasis on work is required to prevent becoming, simply put, a Miley Cyrus.  I enjoyed this song, but there is a running problem with the album that I’ve started to notice, which I will address in time.

 “White Teeth Teens” is another good song.  I didn’t like it as much as the first half of the album, but again, it’s good.  Simply put, it talks about Lorde’s failed efforts to fit in with “the beautiful people,” and the realization that some people are normal.

 Ending the album is a wonderful finale in “A World Alone,” which sees Lorde talking to someone about how they are alone in their habits in the world.  It is a fitting finale to a solid album, and manages to avoid that one lurking problem I have with the album…

 This album features many incredible songs.  No song here is bad, something that is rare these days.  Lorde is a phenomenal singer and songwriter, which is what makes every song here work.  However, this is where my problem with the album comes in…a lot of the instrumentals sound similar or the same, as does Lorde’s delivery in places.  This is what makes some tracks “less impressive.”  Additionally, looking back, the theme of “sticking it to the man” is a little too prevalent here, with at least 30-40% of the album talking about it.  Other than that, I have no qualms.

 It is good to see a pop artist do something refreshing with the genre, a genre that I have not typically enjoyed like I did while listening to this album.  Pure Heroine earns an 8.5/10, and merits purchase in its entirety.  With such a successful debut, I expect Lorde’s next album to be even better, which I will be looking forward to.