Music Review - S.I.D.E.S. by Alice Merton

I review music like I review movies, sometimes I use big words like ‘cinematography’, but if we’re being straight, I’ll admit that I only learnt what it meant a couple of years ago. Now if that’s the case with movies, please give me patience as I wade into music with even less of an understanding of technical makeup. So, while I may not be the most cultured nor informed critic you’ve come across, I am confident enough to know what sounds good and arrogant enough to argue my opinion with the limited vocabulary I have available. 

On that note, S.I.D.E.S. by Alice Merton, the overlooked sophomore effort from the same starlet that blessed us with the one hit No Roots a couple of years back, is a great romp through a relationship gone awry. She explores her post-breakup blues over 15 tracks which harken back to a time when an overarching narrative, not 30+ half-baked tracks for the sake of streaming numbers and sales, defined a good album. 

I will not use specific genre names for fear of mislabelling, but what I can say is there’s at least one ballad and touches of grungy rock sprinkled throughout the domineering pop influences of S.I.D.E.S.. Transitioning alongside the emotion at any time, Merton spends a sizable portion of the runtime indulging in the anger and betrayal of heartbreak, where she has the bulk of her fun finding new ways to insert hard guitars where you wouldn’t typically find them.

The standout track, Hero, lands in the latter half of the album as she navigates her life post- relationship with her partner and the regrets present on all fronts of their relationship. Opening with distorted vocals and a stuttered delivery, Hero commands attention before phasing into an aggressive reproach of the energy wasted in trying to fix someone else, the pain in admitting letting go is the easiest option, and the remorse that more couldn’t be done to salvage what started off as a good thing. 

The best use of music in progressing the narrative however was found in Everything, where a dream ruminates on the night love was lost and after which nothing was to be the same. Following five tracks of confusion, anger, and denial, Everything perfectly captures the realisation that Merton may have held some degree of blame in the chaos of the relationship. The track subverts expectations by choosing the most loveable, boppy instrumental of the album to create an innocent, dreamy soundscape wherein her unspecified actions doomed the relationship and left her “crying on the bedroom floor.”

I tried discussing S.I.D.E.S. with some chums but nobody had heard of it. After a couple of weeks, same response. I realise now that not only do I have to tell people this exists but encourage them to actively seek it out. I implore you to give this project a spin. Whether you’ve gone through a breakup or just enjoy being sad, Alice Norton has you covered this winter.

S.I.D.E.S. is streaming now.