To be honest, I do not really listen to music much. I listen to five songs on repeat before I get tired and have to go hunt for more music. On the search for new music, I found Arlo Parks’ “Collapsed in Sunbeams,” which dropped Jan. 29, 2021. I never heard of her and wanting to get a fresh taste of new music, I decided to listen. Simply put, this album is vibrant. Each song tickled a sense of mine, whether it was from the lyrics or the instruments. While I would not say it is my favorite album of all time, there were songs that stood out to me that I would love to share.

“Too Good” is too good. The song itself is about a person who is intimidated by commitment to love. The person believes they are “too cool to show” their true emotions towards Parks; however, she believes that they are “too good to be true,” still infatuated with said person. It sucks liking someone who is emotionally unavailable; however, it is hard to ignore your own feelings, and this song perfectly encapsulated that feeling. I was a fan of the ‘90s beat, which instantly made me fall in love. I also loved how Parks incorporates sensory details into her lyrics, such as “ I touched the bump on your wrist you were born with,” and “sun spots in your eyes, dark green.” When you like someone, you notice small details about them, such as their eyes and the way they feel under your hand. It is intimate but also it is hard to forget those little details, making you miss them. 

Another song that is highly appreciated is “Green Eyes.” While it does not have a ‘90s beat like the last song, it was groovy with the deep bass and her voice sounds like soft, light gold. They complimented each other perfectly. The lyrics themselves are about Parks missing a girl who was ashamed of their relationship. While Parks dearly misses her, she says that she “could never blame” her because of how people judged their love. As a result of this judgement, the girl suppressed these feelings. Parks wishes that she embraced what she truly felt. It is tragic; however, it is appropriate to feel this way. Despite the sad sentiment of the song, the tune sounds hopeful and so I could only assume those who were ashamed of what they felt on the inside will embrace it one day.

Each song was expressed through a beautiful voice and amazing instrumentals inspired from afrobeats to retro. There was a common theme that tied each song together and Parks did a wonderful job weaving them together. I definitely recommend this album to anyone who wants to try something new. You will walk away from it being obsessed with at least one song. While not a popular artist, Parks has a lot of potential and she deserves all the spotlight for this wonderful album.