Intimate thrills and the post-emotional spills are no surprise. What matters is not the implementation of this encounter or that experience, but the uniqueness of the reaction. Lucy Dacus understands this. She gets the core is not in the detail but in the direction it takes a listener, the path it opens for the person in that experience. Experience guides Forever is a Feeling, a charming and delicate piece of work from the singer-songwriter who shoulders her way to the front of the ever-growing pack. Forever is, indeed, a feeling, and it lingers, changed by time and the reflection Dacus has so clearly grasped with this fourth studio album. Take the more twisted, jagged sound which cropped up occasionally on boygenius’ The Record, and you get a feel for what Forever is a Feeling has in store. Honesty is an expectation. Dacus offers it.
Fears of feeling trivial, of paling in comparison to some greater person and their achievements, are charted well on the aptly titled Big Deal. There is not fear or acceptance, but the halfway point between both extremes, explored by Dacus as she finds herself on the fence about how to feel. She does for many of these songs, and for those with that inability to make a choice, Forever is a Feeling will land well. It is an album of lust put to words, explored in idyllic scenarios painted by a solid songwriter and stronger voice. Both Ankles and Limerence marked decent singles releases, a sweet and intimate exploration of sexual aspiration. It is not so much the meaning behind it that matters but the confidence in detailing these moments, in searching for that intimate spot, the unique angle, in broad strokes of life. Dacus finds it and kindles the sincerity across Forever is a Feeling well.
Raw and intimate occasions are shared with the thrill which comes from exorcising those minute details. Singapore breakfasts, names etched into the mind, as heard on Modigliani, are welcome but toe the line of sincerity. There is truth to all of this but the observations, from being skilled at Grand Theft Auto to getting what you want out of life, feel somewhat sloppy and like such a niche anecdote as to reveal not love or a perception of it, but a hang-up not developed elsewhere. Where Dacus may speak from the heart, making sure the message is elaborate but effective is crucial. Forever is a Feeling manages this often enough, with the heavy pangs of Talk underscoring Dacus’ skill not just for emotive wordplay, but for bringing a listener to that emotional climax with instrumental fury.
Those confused times in and out of love are heard on For Keeps, the heartfelt style inevitably reliant on acoustic tones and a stripped-back sound. These moments are expected, and it is up to Dacus to delve into the microscopic details to secure these songs as a cut above the rest. She does well to cut away from the singer-songwriter that, be it through vocal interjection or the percussion-heavy title track which is a step ahead of those working the out-of-time feeling so constantly heard in the acoustic genre. Come Out is a tremendous, latter-stage offering from Dacus, the brutal imagery of gun-wielding cowboys softened by a tremendous vocal range. It is this contrast which Dacus uses so often on Forever is a Feeling, and for those who wish to hear the harpsichord in contrast with a thick and plodding bassline, this latest effort from Dacus will be a treat. There is an earnestness, an openness to Forever is a Feeling, which supersedes any other reaction to fulfilling love or lifeless relationships.
Finding other voices to feed into that tone is the tricky bit. Dacus has succeeded in the past with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, but their overlapping style was expected on The Record. A welcome surprise with Hozier collaboration Bullseye is an exceptional example of what Dacus is aiming for. It is not enough to experience life, but to retell it, to idealise it and rip it apart once more, is the aim of Forever is a Feeling. We are saddled with the emotional weight of everything we do, and all that we say, forever. Some of it may slip from view, and other pieces may feel like a core experience. Dacus does well to oversee the best bits of the singer-songwriter genre, with her openness both understated yet crucial to songs like Best Guess and album closer Last Time. Dacus walks the line between overwhelmingly sappy and cold-hearted reflection, and the result is a steady, occasionally brilliant piece of work.
