On Jan. 29, Arlo Parks released a new album titled “Collapsed in Sunbeams” and many of its tracks made it to Parks’ top 5 most popular list on Spotify. Every track that has gained a great deal of popularity since its release is well-deserving of its spot. Though Parks has less than 4 million monthly listeners, she is on track to soar in popularity in the coming years as her style of indie gains more listeners through platforms such as TikTok, where her song “Eugene” picked up traction.
Though “Eugene” is by far the most popular on the album, it can’t be compared to the track “Hurt” near the start of the album. “Hurt” is probably one of the best breakup songs that has been released in a long time. The entire chorus is a great reminder that anything we may be going through right now is only temporary and “won’t hurt so much forever.” This message is beautifully coupled with Parks’ soothing, British voice. This is one of those tracks that can play over and over through the mind during the day without growing tiresome.
The track “Too Good” is another vibey piece in which Parks really outdid herself. Her velvety vocals in the chorus combined with the discretely funky background beat make for a beautiful combination of old and new music style. The track is about meeting a significant other who seems too good to be true, yet knows this about themselves. It is about the push and pull in the beginning of a potential relationship when at least one party is being purposefully difficult to read in an effort to shield their feelings. The line “why do we make the simplest things so hard” is an extremely relatable sentiment to many of us, especially in relationships. This lyric really highlights the overthinking and holding back which often happens in relationships, even though it would be easiest to show our true selves and be honest with ourselves and one another.
“For Violet” goes deeper than many of the others on the album. This track is about someone Parks knew who had to deal with a physically abusive father figure. The lyrics explain how she would comfort this person on the phone by playing music. This track is arguably the most important one on the album because it reaches out to other victims so they know they are not alone and their feelings and needs are valid. Not only is the track musically strong, but its message may affect many lives around the world.
After hearing this album, it became even more clear that Parks is one of the most talented female artists of this generation. Every single track is a total chill vibe with a catchy tune and a unique message. She is admirable for digging deeper than just writing songs on the topic of breakups, which many artists today use to take the easy path. This entire album is a must-listen and Parks is definitely one to watch over the next few years.