Deliciously Appetitive
Suki Waterhouse knocks it out of the park with her latest album, Loveland.
“Back in Love” opens the album with dynamic vocals and an immediately catchy melody. Countless facets of Waterhouse’s voice are on display as she shifts between an insatiable rasp and lovesick sweetness. This bright and, frankly, charming love song has a lot to offer. From heavily modified brass flourishes to a deep bass line that culminates in a bold, repetitive outro, the opener perfectly establishes Waterhouse’s headspace and invites listeners into the world of Loveland.
“Any Man” maintains the opener’s sonic palette while revealing a new side of Waterhouse. It’s boldly self-assured in a way that could have felt off-putting were it not for her unabashed confidence and self-awareness. She sings about needing a disguise simply to “go out tonight” before declaring, “I can have any man at all / Got a special touch, I’m not doing much / Just second nature, baby.” The track balances the contradictions of fame while remaining surprisingly relatable.
“Happy With It” presents two sides of the same coin. A funky guitar line, especially during the instrumental break near the song’s end, pairs with a pop-forward chorus while the lyrics explore uncertainty within a relationship. Waterhouse bounces between accepting the confusion, insisting she got what she chose, and repeatedly changing her mind, capturing the emotional push and pull of an unstable romance.
“Teardrops” stands out as one of the album’s strongest moments. It begins with slow, sultry, layered vocals before gradually building through stronger percussion and a more propulsive rhythm. Intermittent snare hits woven beneath lovesick lyrics create one of the record’s most immersive listening experiences.
“When I Get Drunk (I Want You Boy)” and “Jukebox” introduce a jazzier side of Waterhouse. The former blends jazz and funk into a playful, new-wave-inspired sound that distinguishes itself while maintaining the album’s cohesion. A spoken-word bridge adds another layer of personality before slipping back into sensual vocals and emotionally vulnerable songwriting. “Jukebox,” meanwhile, leans further into pop-jazz, evoking artists like Laufey while showcasing Waterhouse’s versatility without feeling derivative.
“Tiny Raisin” and “Almost” return to the fast-paced, percussion-heavy pop introduced earlier on “Happy With It.” Where that earlier track gradually eases listeners into its emotional world, these songs dive in immediately, maintaining the album’s momentum through energetic production and infectious melodies.
“Puppy Dog Eyes” ventures furthest into rock, yet still fits naturally within the album’s eclectic sound. For fans of Waterhouse’s performance as Karen Sirko in Daisy Jones & The Six, it’s the closest the record comes to revisiting that side of her artistry.
Loveland traces the highs and lows of a relationship that neither person can fully leave behind. Blending pop, jazz, funk and rock with confidence and cohesion, Waterhouse delivers one of her most stylistically adventurous releases to date. Its willingness to shift between genres without losing its identity makes Loveland consistently engaging, offering something memorable for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
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