It’s Nice to Hear Your Voice Again: 5 Years of Clairo’s ‘Sling’
How Do I Tell You How I Feel?
July marks the five-year anniversary of Clairo’s dreamy second album, ‘Sling’. This project brought a new light to this artist’s sound. Ultimately, she had begun to stray away from the bedroom pop world in which she situated herself. Her first album, ‘Immunity‘, teased some of this growth in tracks like ‘Alewife’ ,as well as developing herself as an artist in ‘Bags’. The two years between these works allowed room for inspiration that carried Claire to a whole new level. Not only as a musician, but also as her vulnerabilities on ‘Sling’ are one of the reasons it works as well as it does.
As a big Joni Mitchell fan, ‘Sling’ is the perfect mix of Joni’s storytelling folk charm, whilst keeping Claire’s innocent sweetness. That is what draws you in. Whilst her style has changed immensely from her 2017 song ‘Flaming Hot Cheetos’, she still manages to keep it wholesome. It gives her sound a very ‘I just wrote this in my bedroom one night’ feel. This is one of her strengths as a musician. Undeniably, there is such poetry in her lyrics. They could only be pulled from a 20-something-year-old woman’s personal diary. One of the standout tracks that pulls right from that feeling is the tender ‘Blouse’. It tackles a hard feeling we know all too well. Unfortunately, no matter what setting you’re in, the rooms you enter are often filled with wandering eyes.
Claire admits defeat through the words she speaks on the track. This provides the feeling that the only way you’ll get a man in a position to listen to you is by not standing up to the fact that they are so obviously sexualising you. However, this heartbreaking reality created the perfect voice for this artist to introduce the project. ‘Blouse’ stood as the first single and opened a world of understanding for listeners. Something that the rest of the album continues to invite you into.
Show Up To The Party Just To Leave
One of the reasons this record takes you so successfully through a journey of self-reflection is due to Claire’s ability to focus her attention on her storytelling. Similarly, this album would not be what it is without the sombre, slight guitars or building 70s drums. She worked closely with pop’s greatest asset, the wonderfully talented Jack Antonoff. Admittedly turning down his offer at first due to the enormity of the projects he had worked on previously. Little did she know that this LP would join them when she made the leap to trust him. And more importantly, herself.
In the funkiest track on the album, ‘Amoeba’ delves into the juxtaposition of being self-centred whilst also hating yourself. In a breakdown of the song with Rolling Stone, they discuss the way we can still find a way to make the bad things we know we’re doing about us. This is despite not doing anything to change them. As well as how they built the sound. Ultimately creating an orchestra with Claire’s voice. Along with melding the sadness or annoyance of its matter with a beat you just want to dance to.
One of the most unusual tracks on the album is ‘Joanie’. It got its namesake from Claire’s dog, who is introduced to us before the album even starts. Her paw is seen holding Claire’s face on the record’s cover. Clearly a real portrait of the importance she had on the making of the project itself. Joanie became a sort of guiding light for the making of it. Claire said herself how being met with the responsibility of another life forced her to confront the domesticity that she didn’t know was missing from her own. The song itself is filled to the brim with all the best sonic parts of the record. This includes the simple piano that is replicated and warped into a swirling version of itself, a staple of ‘Sling’.
It Just Takes Time
A song that isn’t as on the nose as a song named after her beloved dog is the struggle she bears in ‘Reaper’. Firstly, the track is what kickstarted everything, and the first song finished on the album. No doubt, her newfound discovery made her look inwards and outwards at her own Mother. “I’m born to be somebody, then somebody come from me.” is a lesson in the beauty and sacrifice that comes with motherhood.
Indeed, when the expectation is to create life, how do you have time to live your own? As a result, many women face these decisions. Yet it is rare to speak so openly about where we go as individuals when we become someone’s wife or mother. This is something that begins to dawn on her when recognising that her own mum had a life before her. Yet, this is only proven by pictures and stories. Is the sacrifice really as worth it as people make it out to be?
To me, the ‘B side’ of this record is what I feel is the perfect admittance of everything she played around with at the start of it. One of the saddest songs is ‘Just For Today’. It encapsulates all of that fear and anxiety that depression can bring to a person. Claire once again demonstrates how her vulnerability is what defines her as an artist. In this case, her shy admittance that the positive pats on the back are doing her no good. Further to this, the line “Mommy, I’m afraid I’ve been talking to the hotline again.” is one so heartbreaking. In addition, revealing that no matter what self-development influenced her own views on parenthood, we are all just children who need that love and support.
Okay, I’m Finished Now
‘Harbor’ has always been my standout track. It defines a one-sided relationship. It leads her to come to the realisation that she has done so many things to please this other person, so they’ll stay. Although they are blatantly out of character for her. Likewise, to convince herself she is not affected, this artist is forced to pretend. The ups and downs of the soft piano are appropriately accompanied by the rest of the band as it builds a power source that echoes her breaking out the other side.
The lyrics “Know myself better than I have in years.” have been one that has always stuck with me. As simplistic as the statement is, the realisation that you truly can trust yourself after all you have been through always hits home for me. When ‘Sling’ was released, I was probably in the most appropriate place to receive it. I continue to come back to this song, sometimes just to hear those lyrics, just to remind myself.
‘Sling’ will forever hold a special place in my heart; its sheer open-heartedness is pure magic. The first time I listened to it, I was transported to another world, one where I could see and feel every word and every sweltering build-up of sound. Every now and then I visit it, and it never changes. That is the beauty of ‘Sling’; it is exactly what it needs to be. I feel very lucky to have heard it.
You can find Clairo on Instagram, X, and TikTok. You can also read more anniversary pieces here, and stream the album below or buy here.
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