ALBUM REVIEW: somebody in hell loves you – Sydney Sprague

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist SYDNEY SPRAGUE is back with her sophomore record somebody in hell loves you. She released her debut album back in 2021 and received critical acclaim for her songwriting skills in which she channels her inner turmoil and fear into beautiful songs that have been described as a combination of the pop-punk/emo sound of bands like DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE and FALL OUT BOY, and the guitar-pop of artists like AVRIL LAVIGNE and KELLY CLARKSON.

With such high praise for her debut album, one can only wonder if she’ll be able to follow-up that success with this record. The answer to that is a resounding yes; it’s hard not to be taken in by Sprague’s beautiful lyrics and intricate storytelling that, while recounting darker moments in life, ultimately leaves you feeling hopeful and at peace in the knowledge that things will eventually work themselves out. As the album opens with if i’m honest, listeners are greeted with an assortment of voices that seem to be collected from films and news pieces before the song becomes an alternative rock track that features Sprague’s sweet yet confident vocals that draw you in.

And that’s the ongoing theme in her songs where you find yourself in awe at both her vocals and lyrics and delve into a variety of personal topics that can be difficult to talk about, all the while sounding so cool and collected. This is most evident in a track like lsob, which features a cool alternative guitar intro that drives much of the track until it gets to the last minute where things switch to a faster mode, almost as a representation of the emotions colliding when it comes to the lyrical matter of missing someone you love. Another example is sketching lessons where you find yourself feeling reassured and wanting to sing along to the lyrics of “It’s gonna be alright kid”, as well as hello cruel world that can be described as a bittersweet track that leaves you sharing the same confusion and anxieties Sprague expresses.

Her influences mentioned above are obvious throughout and leave you feeling nostalgic for simpler times, especially in songs like terrible places that have you feeling calm as you bask in the familiarity of the style used. Yet there also appears to be some more modern influence in tracks like nobody knows anything that features electronic sound effects, as if you’re on a spaceship, and other elements that leave you thinking of BILLIE EILISH.

There’s so much to be enjoyed when it comes to Somebody In Hell Loves You; from the nostalgic sounds to the beautiful storytelling within the lyrics, SYDNEY SPRAGUE is truly in a league of her own. In fact, you could consider her as a future major figure in songwriting as she influences the next generation of musicians.

Rating: 8/10

somebody in hell loves you is out now via Rude Records.

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