Since early January, here at Ultraviolet Magazine, we’ve been keeping a close eye on American singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus and the releases leading up to her fourth studio album, Forever Is A Feeling. On March 28th, the record touched down on streaming services, immediately receiving unwavering support from her fans, but unfortunately receiving a handful of critiques from the press. When discussing Forever Is A Feeling, I find myself landing in the middle of the two opinions, leading towards my complete support.
Dacus in collaboration with UMusic, planned a series of ‘listening parties’ for Forever Is A Feeling at independent record stores. As I attended the Toronto party at Dead Dog Records, I was graciously granted the opportunity to hear the album roughly 5 hours before the rest of the Eastern Timezone. Upon finishing, I found myself nauseated from the raw emotion Dacus evoked in me, trying my best to hold back tears to keep my mascara from running in front of 40+ people.
[ Painting by @willstjohnart ]
Where Forever Is A Feeling may lack in instrumentation, with a majority of the track list landing within the same sonic range, Dacus’ skill shines brightly with her lyricism, having this ability to transport listeners into whatever scene she wishes to portray. Forever Is A Feeling has the central theme of love, with Dacus taking time to explore the intricate complexities of the feeling, with subthemes of yearning, disconnecting, and intimacy all floating across the record’s 13 tracks. There’s a cohesivity to it, as if we’re following the story of Dacus and a single muse, with their relationship wildly fluctuating until the album comes to a close. However, apart from a few tracks, there's an ambiguity to the muse, allowing Dacus’ tracks to be related to whoever the listener desires, a rare trait for a song to have, especially with the level of vulnerability Dacus shows.
[ All Illustrations by @nicolejaclynsmith ]
The album opens with ‘Calliope Prelude’, a string arrangement that sets this whimsical tone right off the bat. While the track seems somewhat out of place, ‘Calliope Prelude’ creates these expectations for listeners that are somewhat necessary for the consumption of the album. First being the obvious, that Dacus’ record will be using strings alongside the traditional drums and guitar, a musical choice that has been growing prominent within Dacus’ sphere of music. The second is the inclusion of the name ‘Calliope’, who is a Greek Muse of Poetry. Her name implies that Forever Is A Feeling may not be a collection of songs but instead a collection of poems set to music, guiding listeners to focus on Dacus’s carefully constructed sentences.
‘Calliope Prelude’ transitions perfectly into ‘Big Deal’. Here Dacus draws on the idea of wanting someone that you cannot have, even going as far as to parallel her song ‘Christine’ by connecting the experience to watching your desired partner get married to someone else. The situation does not seem one-sided, however, with the line “Do you remember? You say, "How could I forget?” implying that Dacus’ muse still harbours romantic emotions towards her.
Following ‘Big Deal’ is ‘Ankles’ and ‘Limerance’, the first two singles Dacus released back in January. They contrast each other with ‘Ankles’ leaning into this sultry and sensual version of a relationship, with Dacus’ craving both intense intimacy and the aftermath of a domestic morning together. ‘Limerance’ is tragic, the lyric “I'm thinking about breaking your heart someday soon” standing out, especially as it is emphasized by this low and dreary piano note.
‘Modigliani’ feels as if you’re watching Dacus’s attempt to love her muse in fragments. This love is not romantic, as Dacus explained that the track is about missing Phoebe Bridgers, her boygenius bandmate and solo artist. Regardless, theres this impression left that Dacus is consistently trying to chase Bridgers, but the two of them never seem to cross paths, as if it is never the right time for the pair.
Straying away from platonic love is ‘Talk’, which was the fourth single off Forever is a Feeling. Sonically, it carries the familiar whirling and grungy punches of Dacus’ earlier albums, with the theming of her current project. Dacus has said ‘Talk’ is “about being with someone for so long that you lose touch with each other, but the other person still expects you to have sex”.
The back half of the album begins with ‘For Keeps’, which initially made me tear up whilst listening. Dacus plays with this beautiful religious imagery to emphasise her feelings towards her muse: “If the Dеvil’s in the details / Then God is in the gap in your teeth / You are doing the Lord’s work / Every time you smile at me”. There's a strange push and pull between knowing that Dacus loves this muse, yet they will not wind up together, it's merely a ‘situationship’ so to speak, adding that level of devastation. Foundationally, ‘For Keeps’ has a soft acoustic guitar throughout the entire piece, causing Dacus' vocals to stand out immensely, making a point about the importance of the track to the record.
The title track, ‘Forever Is A Feeling’, feels like whiplash coming off of ‘For Keeps’. There’s this mix of piano and strings, both of which feel bouncy and light, bringing this upbeat positive tone to combat ‘For Keeps’ devastation. You feel as if you’re listening to a relationship develop in front of you, stringing you along on the wave of giddiness that comes with fresh love. Similarly, ‘Come Out’ is reminiscent of those first few months in a relationship, where you’re yearning for your partner relentlessly, wanting to scream their names to the rooftops, being so obsessive in the most delightful way possible. The harps in this track are otherworldly, adding a beautiful element unique to ‘Come Out’ alone.
Track 10, ‘Best Guess’, was the third single released off Forever Is A Feeling. The slower and melodic beats weave together this beautiful perspective of the delicacies of an intimate relationship. A highlight is placed on the small domestic moments, the ones that form slowly over time, eventually surpassing the weight of grand gestures.
‘Bullseye’, continues the album's theme of songs contradicting one another. Dacus describes ‘Bullseye’ for People Magazine as “the ideal breakup, where you can remember all the reasons that you got together, and it’s not like they don’t apply — you still love the person, you still see why they’re so special — but it’s just not right anymore”. Fans will be delighted to find Irish Singer-Songwriter Hozier to be a featured vocalist on the track. He taps into his higher vocal register to not only flow smoothly with the instrumental, but to pair with Dacus’ lower range. The pair work well together, and I hope to see further collaborative works from them in the future.
The penultimate song, ‘Most Wanted Man’, is currently my personal favourite from the album, and possibly one of my favourite songs ever. Immediately, Dacus comes in guns-a-blazing, with the instrumental carrying a light country twang. When discussing Forever Is A Feeling, I’ve been avoidant of putting a name to Dacus’ muse, as no artist's work should be defined by their romantic relationships. However, ‘Most Wanted Man’ is undeniably about Julien Baker, the third boygenius member and an extraordinary solo artist. It was announced that Dacus and Baker were officially in a relationship earlier in the month, and had this to say about Baker's relation to ‘Most Wanted Man’: “Literally the most revealing [song] is “Most Wanted Man”, because I think it makes it pretty plain as day that it’s for Julien. I mean, she sings on it.”.
‘Most Wanted Man’ captures the sentimental moments of the pair’s relationship, with Dacus’ attention to the small details strongly representing the love she carries for Baker. These slow, simple moments are paired with this fast-paced guitar, ushering listeners through the course of Dacus and Baker's relationship, perhaps wanting to protect what’s precious, whilst still making true, honest art. I’d be doing a disservice to ‘Most Wanted Man’ as a whole if I did not talk about the powerful bridge. Again, Dacus uses language tied to religion to express her love and emotions, an aspect that resonates with me deeply as a listener. Her vocals are truly insane within the bridge, with this raw passion and desperation hitting you like a brick, especially with: “If it's not God, it's Fate / If it's not Fate, it’s Chance / If it's my chance, I'm gonna take it”.
To end the album is ‘Lost Time’, which is arguably the most vulnerable track on the entire record. When looking back on the trials and tribulations hidden in the themes of the album, ‘Lost Time’ is the perfect ending to all of them. You exist in this slow world with Dacus, as she outlines how even though she has this secure relationship, she’s consistently making up for lost time, while still being hyper aware that this may not last forever. ‘Lost Time’ screams “I Love You,” it’s powerful, overweighted glory, with Dacus simply wanting to make the most of the time she has with her lover. In an Apple Music interview with Travis Mills, Dacus gave this lovely sentiment on her closing track: “The last song, ‘Lost Time’, feels very special to me, and I’m hoping people will find it special.” Lucy Dacus, I am happy to report that you got your wish, at least from me, as ‘Lost Time’ is a truly special addition to the record.
Forever Is A Feeling is a beautiful record focused on Lucy Dacus and love. Although musically different than her other bodies of work, Forever Is A Feeling marks this heavenly creative path for Dacus, setting new expectations for her future projects. You can stream Forever Is A Feeling now on all platforms or pick up a physical copy of the album via Dacus’ Online Store.
You can also catch Dacus this Spring and Summer as she embarks on her Forever Is A Feeling headlining tour starting April 16 in North America, before heading across the pond for the UK + Europe on the 12 of June. She’ll also be hitting a few major festivals such as Osheaga, Shaky Knees, and Glastonbury. You can see all dates and purchase tickets here.
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