After a five-year hiatus, Portland-based singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior burst back onto the scene with her latest single, “Unforgivable.” Early on in her career, Savior was no stranger to working with big names — her debut, Belladonna of Sadness, was co-produced by Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys and James Ford, who has worked on albums for bands like Blur and Depeche Mode. The album established Savior’s name and marked the beginning of her ability to craft the elusive narratives that would come to define her work.
Savior’s sophomore album, The Archer, gave her the chance to break away from her associations with other artists and make a name for herself. Having written each song and directed every music video, she ensured this project would be seen as her own creative endeavor. The album is melodramatic in every way: Eerie synths coat the already haunting lyrics, manipulative characters take center stage and the title track’s cannibalistic imagery further emphasizes the singer’s vulnerability. Best known for her dreamy instrumentals and operatic, entrancing vocals, Savior, in the past, lamented over broken relationships featuring lyrics that introspectively investigated the complexities of emotion.
While Savior’s debut focused more on creating fictional stories, The Archer delved deeper into her inner world — a theme that continues in “Unforgivable.” The track bemoans the wrongdoings Savior has weathered. She questions, “Why was I the one?” and vows to “tell the world,” but the instrumentals contrast the story she tells: Light and airy, they instead provide a sense of elation. The bridge builds tension, a culmination of Savior’s anger, which eventually erupts and shows her impressive vocal range as the music fades into the background. Parts of the song seem to take inspiration from ’50s girl groups but contort to fit the ominous tone Savior is trying to achieve. A simple drumline keeps the track grounded, and the use of trumpets and violins is reminiscent of something you would hear playing in a speakeasy surrounded by fellow jazz lovers. Yet, it’s the lyrics that take center stage as Savior repeats “It’s unforgivable, ooh / Unforgivable to / Oh take a girl, keep her from the world / Look at what you’ve done,” as a mantra.
However, other lyrics feel tacky: “And when it’s time for you to pay / I’ll send an invoice right your way” is a line straight out of r/im14andthisisdeep. The cheesy phrasing weakens the impact of the rest of the song, which aims for a more serious tone. “Unforgivable” still has some of the hallmarks of Savior’s past works, but it is clear the new album will be headed in a different direction. The track feels pedestrian in comparison to songs such as “M.T.M.E.,” with its abstract lyricism, or “The Phantom,” where she underpins her vocals by chanting the lyrics in a monotone voice.
Creating a murderous and mysterious atmosphere has been Savior’s M.O., and something we can look forward to on the forthcoming album, Beneath The Lilypad, set for release May 16. Until then, “Unforgivable” transitions listeners into a new era for the artist. While partially continuing to play into Savior’s classic themes, there is a shift toward a vintage atmosphere. As fans eagerly await new information regarding Savior’s project, they are left wondering how the musician’s art will transform. Will she continue her trend of pop girl group turned femme fatale? Or return to her classic, mysterious and entrancing style? “Unforgivable” ushers in a new era, but one that risks eclipsing the very allure that made Savior magnetic.
Daily Arts Contributor Caroline Nowik can be reached at cnowik@umich.edu.
