Lauren Mayberry goes solo…

As far as I know, I am a first-time-Lauren-Mayberry-listener. I don’t think I had ever even heard of CHVRCHES, the indie-alternative, synth-pop band Mayberry started out in that originated from Glasgow, Scotland.

Vicious Creature is Mayberry’s first solo studio album, and it’s clear she thought copiously about what she wanted this album to be before diving in. This work of groovy alternative hits with the occasional soft guitar and some palpable piano playing is one created by someone who is no green artist to the industry. She’s been in this field doing what she excels at: creating audio-art.

Mayberry presents 12 tracks in Vicious Creature, and overall, I can say that it was an enjoyable roller coaster of a listen. She impresses by crafting synth into a myriad of forms, using it to serve whatever dynamic message she’s trying to convey from track to track.

“Sorry, Etc,” Track 7, felt like it belonged on the soundtrack of Arcane; which, if you know me, is a HUGE compliment. Its punk tones shifted me right out of the sad pit I had sunken into from the track prior, Oh, Mother. Sheesh.

In “Change Shapes,” Track 8, Mayberry proudly confesses that she transforms herself in the same way a snake molts; living life fluidly to please another, because they themselves are incapable of adapting. She almost brags about how she knows it’s a toxic relationship to be in but still recognizes that it is kinda bad b*tch of her to evolve in the way that she has.

Moving into “Mantra,” Track 9 on the album, Mayberry becomes this spooky and powerful witch of a womxn, embodying the aura of a predator stalking its prey. Something about the way she writes her lyrics, especially in “Mantra,” is very honest. Her blunt and candid takes are stimulating to hear because she’ll just tell you like it is, without any tea or drama.

The only track I was really not a fan of was #5, “Punch Drunk.” It sounded a little too unnatural for me; like, the use of the alternative genre here felt so odd that I had a negative reaction to it. But hey – I’ll take truly disliking just one track out of a total of 12.

Mayberry confidently reached for the stars with her debut solo album Vicious Creature, creating an artful trajectory that stretches vastly across the universe of performance. She did this with intention, and was also unafraid to utilize all the options that she had at her disposal.

I hope she feels proud. This was a solid solo start.

Check out her official webpage here for more.

Rating: 4 creatures out of 5