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After a five-year hiatus, Portland-based singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior burst back onto the scene with her latest single, \u201cUnforgivable.\u201d Early on in her career, Savior was no stranger to working with big names \u2014 her debut, Belladonna of Sadness<\/em>, was co-produced<\/a> 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\u2019s name and marked the beginning of her ability to craft the elusive narratives that would come to define her work.<\/p>\n Savior\u2019s sophomore album, The Archer<\/em>, 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<\/a>, 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\u2019s cannibalistic imagery further emphasizes the singer\u2019s vulnerability. Best known for her dreamy instrumentals and operatic, entrancing vocals<\/a>, Savior, in the past, lamented over broken relationships featuring lyrics that introspectively investigated the complexities of emotion.<\/p>\n While Savior\u2019s debut focused more on creating fictional stories, The Archer<\/em> delved deeper into her inner world \u2014 a theme that continues in \u201cUnforgivable.\u201d The track bemoans the wrongdoings Savior has weathered. She questions, \u201cWhy was I the one?\u201d and vows to \u201ctell the world,\u201d 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\u2019s 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 \u201950s 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\u2019s the lyrics that take center stage as Savior repeats \u201cIt\u2019s unforgivable, ooh \/ Unforgivable to \/ Oh take a girl, keep her from the world \/ Look at what you\u2019ve done,\u201d as a mantra.<\/p>\n However, other lyrics feel tacky: \u201cAnd when it\u2019s time for you to pay \/ I\u2019ll send an invoice right your way\u201d is a line straight out of\u00a0r\/im14andthisisdeep<\/a>. The cheesy phrasing weakens the impact of the rest of the song, which aims for a more serious tone.\u00a0\u201cUnforgivable\u201d still has some of the hallmarks of Savior\u2019s 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 \u201cM.T.M.E.,\u201d with its abstract lyricism, or \u201cThe Phantom,\u201d where she underpins her vocals by chanting the lyrics in a monotone voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n