The new wave and the old age

Artist Christopher Pappas (also known as “Elle Belle”) released his new album How Do I Feel? Coming off of the energetic indie rock sound of his third album Post Everything, Pappas’s fourth LP goes in a different direction with a slow mix of dream pop, soft rock and bedroom pop. Between the releases of Post Everything and How Do I Feel? Pappas like everyone else went through a pandemic that induced a period of lockdown and self-isolation. During this time, one can feel exacerbated from being stuck inside for a long period of time. This poses a question one must ask of themselves; how does someone deal with the concerns and worries of living in the modern world. In How Do I Feel? Pappas attempts to the assuage those concerns with feelings of nostalgia and a longing of better days.

The album starts off with “Hey Dreamers”, a slow indie pop number with a steady beat and airy guitars. The lyrics setup the general theme of this album, telling the listener “It’s fine man if you wanna run, I’ve seen better days”. Instilled is the awareness that if their dreams won’t happen, there’s still hope throughout this uncertainty. The next two tracks “Gone Are the Days” and “Freaks and Sugar” contrasts with the initial optimistic attitude of the album. Painting a bleak pessimistic atmosphere where the music and the lyrics contrast with each other. “Gone Are the Days” provides a mix between acoustic/electric guitars, keyboards and drums that give an allegro pace. The lyrics are sung in a dejected manner, telling the listener that the days they once knew are gone. “Freaks and Sugar” gives off a ’70s warm soft rock vibe with a pulsating bassline, as the lyrics paint a picture of escapism that remind the listener of a more carefree time. The title track “How Do I Feel?” has a muted percussive beat accompanied by a nursey rhyme melody on keyboards. The percussive elements add up as the vocals get louder culminating in a loud dynamic in the final verse. “Saturday” is a breezy track that conveys mixed emotions. Inspired by the angst and fears of the modern world, this track’s subtle use of tape loops help drives the point to the listener.

Here is where the album starts to dip in quality as the next song (fittingly titled) “The Low Descent,” is a retread of “Saturday,” where the use of glass synths merely repeats the same nursery rhyme melody. “Let Go” also follows a similar retread, as it reuses the same ’70s soft rock beat and bassline of “Freaks and Sugar.” Fortunately, the next track changes pace away from the drudgery. “007” is an energetic indie rock tune that recalls the best moments of Post Everything that manages to get to the point and spares the listeners from any pointless retread. The last two tracks are where the experimentation and lyricism come together. “See Ya Later” is also an airy happy-sad track like “Saturday,” however it doesn’t manage to come off as a repeat, rather a continuation of the themes posed in that track. While “Wake Up, It’s Alright” closes the album in a cathartic way. The dream pop like synths, slow beat and ascending vocals simulates the idea of waking up from a hazy hallucination, before the vocals and instruments segues to silence as the track (and album) come to an end.

Pappas’ attempts to assuage listeners of the concerns of the modern world is conveyed well here. How Do I Feel? may not have the same experimental songcraft Pappas’ is known for, but for what the album is trying to say, the sentimental approach is definitely the right one. A few of the tracks are mediocre and some are borrowing elements of the past, but as a whole the album is certainly polished. How Do I Feel? has Pappas’ “Elle Belle” project shows signs of an artist maturing in his songwriting and songcraft. Much like the theme of album, this gives one hope for what Pappas has in store for the future.