Billie Eilish released her third studio album, “Hit Me Hard And Soft,” on May 17. Eilish is riding the high of “What Was I Made For?,” recorded for “Barbie” in 2023. The song earned her two Grammy awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe.
An accompanying tour was announced in late April with tickets on sale May 3; the “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour stops at TD Garden on October 11.
The album was produced and co-written by Eilish’s brother Finneas, her only producer. In the Instagram post announcing the album, Eilish announced she was “not doing singles, [I] want to give it to you all at once.”
“Hit Me Hard And Soft” weaves themes of sapphism, love, and lust amidst the whispery, hauntingly beautiful vocal technique from “What Was I Made For?” while having instrumentals reminiscent of her first two albums.
One of Eilish’s habits in her discography is having the ending instrumentals of one track blend perfectly into the beginning of the next one, a tactic she has used on all three of her albums so far. The opening track of “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, “SKINNY,” keeps the energy high towards the end as it segues into “LUNCH.”
“SKINNY” explores the themes of self-perception, societal norms, and falling in love for the first time, while “LUNCH” delves into Eilish’s queerness with lyrics like “She’s the headlights, I’m the deer…But she might be the one.”
The remaining tracks on the album further explore love and romance with lyrics such as “I knew you in another life / You had that same look in your eyes / I love you, don’t act so surprised” closing the track “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.”
“THE GREATEST” reminded me quickly of “Happier Than Ever,” the title track of her previous album. It started as a slower-paced, soft ballad, building up to the themes of love and anger she articulated throughout lyrics such as “All my love and patience…Made it all look painless / Man, am I the greatest.”
“THE DINER” told a Bonnie and Clyde-esque love story. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the album, but this song’s approach felt especially unique. The instrumentals put the listener in a chaotic environment which based on the title, is a typical American diner.
Amidst love-driven obsession, Eilish, who sounds eerily like a stalker, uses figurative police officers throughout the song to represent the barrier between her and the song’s subject, determined to do anything to get them back and for things from a past relationship to go back to the way they were.
Hit Me Hard And Soft closes with “BLUE,” a song starting with the upbeat instrumentals I had gotten used to throughout the album. However, as fans have seen from “THE GREATEST,” Eilish can turn around a song at the drop of a hat.
Halfway through the song, the vibe changes to a melancholic, reflective style. The first verse references previous tracks as she processes her emotions during a breakup, finally experiencing acceptance as she sings “It’s over now, it’s over now, it’s over now.” The violin closing the track offers a haunting end to the album.
“Hit Me Hard and Soft” explores love, sexuality, and the abundant variety of emotions that come along with it. Throughout the ten tracks that clock in at just under 45 minutes, Eilish sings passionately about what falling in love feels like in what could be considered as some of her best work yet.
