Album Review: And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow - Weyes Blood

Natalie Mering, known professionally as Weyes Blood, is no stranger to musical accomplishment. The release of her 2019 album Titanic Rising felt like just that — an unprecedented and unique ten track experience that palpably evoked a holistic doom on the horizon. The first album of a confirmed trilogy, Titanic Rising’s nearly flawless tracklist enraptured its audience in beautiful layers of multi-instrumental baroque chamber pop. Mering’s distinctive yet traditionally excellent lead vocals on the project were only made more effective by her compelling, wise lyrics and storytellings throughout. Most importantly, however, this first of three conceptually-related projects did its most important job by leaving its listeners ready for more. After three tumultuous years, Titanic Rising’s sequel And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow has arrived and expanded upon the musings introduced by its predecessor, somehow even more rich, refined, and heartfelt than before.

One of the few silver linings to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic was the plethora of expressions and interpretations of such challenging times from talented musicians and artists alike. Titanic Rising, as occasionally upbeat as it was, prominently imposed a sense of incoming strife. As listeners, we were only able to listen to Mering’s calm before the storm and are now watching her assess the damage of the uproarious waves we all endured in the time between projects. And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow wastes no time before embarking on the journey of self-reflection, as its opening track “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” reaches the conclusion that everyone else’s lived experience is just as valid to them as ours is to ourselves. Mering has a tendency to subtly deliver deeply insightful or prophetic lyrics throughout her discography, and one of the greatest examples of that is found on this track with: “Living in the wake of overwhelming changes / We’ve all become strangers / Even to ourselves.” By looking inward so deeply and earnestly, Mering is able to draw conclusions and further relate to the collective trauma endured in recent memory.

“Children of the Empire” is a sonically ornate and grand opus that almost inspires rebellion and revolution in its listener, with its chilling chorus “We’re long gone in that eternal flame / Trying to break away from the mess we made / We don’t have time anymore to be afraid.” This track evokes a sense of quiet recognition that while the odds may be stacked against us, there is no time to sit in recognition of that fact if we want to change it. “Grapevine” is next, a track whose title cleverly nods to California’s Interstate 5 and suggests an intertwined, complicated relationship that is discussed throughout. “California’s my body / And your fire runs over me” further explores this double meaning, and if you aren’t sold by now, just wait for the instrumentation found on the song’s chorus. Additionally, this song is perfect for anyone who enjoys disturbing visual accompaniments to seemingly sentimental songs.

“God Turn Me Into a Flower” is next, and not much can be said to adequately explain the beauty of this ascendant and poetic track. Backed only by light, ambient synths, Mering’s performance truly shines here, with biting lyrics found throughout, none more so than “You shatter easily and can’t pick up all those shards / It’s the curse of losing yourself when the mirror takes you too far.” I can easily see this becoming one of Mering’s most acclaimed and iconic songs.

The album’s title tracks are split in two, with “Hearts Aglow” preceding “And In The Darkness”, a solely transitional interlude that introduces the album’s back half. “Hearts Aglow” depicts the leap of faith of trust in a relationship by likening it to the heights of a ferris wheel. “You can’t control hearts aglow / I’m staring at that black water down below / Knowing I could fall if I let go” are the standout lines here, as this track begins to introduce the idea of choosing love in the face of the difficulties of life. “Twin Flame” is likely Mering’s most intimate look at relationships to date, further exploring the vulnerability needed to truly see and be seen by another. This song’s ‘80’s influence is clear and executed incredibly well — yet another example of her team’s attention to detail and skillful production.

“In Holy Flux” is another necessary reprieve from the deep dives this project encourages its listener to take, serving as a two-minute interlude that leads into the album’s final two songs. “The Worst Is Done” is one of my favorites here, as it sarcastically comments on how just because we’ve somewhat made it through the pandemic, not all has been fixed. If anything, more may be broken now than ever before. “But they say the worst is done / And it’s time to go out and see everyone / They say the worst is done / But I think it’s only just begun” perfectly expresses the skepticism many have as they view a world that has “healed” so misshapenly — there’s still so much work to do. “A Given Thing” is our closer, a piano-backed ballad that allows Mering’s gorgeous vocals to come to the forefront of our final track. The song centralizes on the theme of “love everlasting,” unconditional affection that survives all. A powerful closer, this track suggests that Mering’s perspective on the future may not be so grim after all, but instead optimistic and more hopeful than one could have expected.

After the release of Titanic Rising, many would have been forgiving if Weyes Blood had peaked musically and artistically. An album that beautiful is more than the life’s work of many other talented artists. Yet with And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow, Mering has proven that her art is truly an expression of her own growth and maturity, as authentic and ever-evolving as she is. The vision needed to execute a trilogy of cohesive and interrelated albums is unimaginably disciplined and talented, and Mering has proven she has what it takes to do so here. Even better, however, is how triumphantly And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow stands on its own, even if it wasn’t attached to other projects. It goes without saying that the trilogy’s concluding album cannot come soon enough — it’s time for Weyes Blood to become a household name.

Favorite tracks: All

SCORE: 10/10