On
Wicked Jaw
, her third album as
Locate S, 1
, producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist
Christina Schneider
lightens up a little, but only musically. 2020's
Personalia
was a vision of thrilling disco-pop, but if often took turns toward cold atmospheres or busy, uncomfortable arrangements that mirrored the album's emotional states.
feels more straightforward in comparison, even as
Schneider
swerves quickly between airy bossa-nova, slick synth pop, crunchy guitar rock, and various other styles. As with
,
's sonic personality serves as the glue that holds all her disparate impulses together. The high life-informed guitar leads and ethereal, floating melodies of "Danielle" feel connected to the swaying bossa nova dreamscapes of "Go Back to Disnee," and even when
reconfigures girl group melodrama into something abstract and strange on the title track, all of these various experiments feel of one piece. The captivating noir-pop of album opener "You Were Right About One Thing" is just one example of
's deft ability to conceal its lyrical intensity beneath deceptively joyful sounding hooks and silky smooth arrangements. Reading the lyrics while not listening to the song reveal a harrowing depiction of an abusive relationship akin to a natural disaster, and the lasting wreckage left in its wake. Throughout the album,
obscures personal horrors and trauma with gorgeous sonics, and the effect is both engrossing and disorienting. As ever,
balances pop perfection with unpredictable artistry, and the always-shifting stylistic landscapes of
find
living out therapeutic catharsis while paradoxically crafting some of her most enjoyable and fun music to date. ~ Fred Thomas