Self Esteem – A Complicated Woman Review

A Complicated Woman is an album of patience. Not the usual form of patience, not the “wait for the right moment and things will happen,” no. Self Esteem has bided her time and roared on through with this third album. They have made all the right moves, from opening for Blur at their Wembley show to the thrills of collaborative work elsewhere. Very much a “take it and run” artist, and more power to her. A Complicated Woman unpacks the layers, the intricate details and all those frustrations of waiting for the right moment. Self Esteem has been ready for this push to the top for far longer than is let on throughout A Complicated Woman, but those who have followed her career thus far will know that. Passionate empowerment through a communal experience, through moments in time which have informed the person Self Esteem presents themselves as on A Complicated Woman.  

It is clear, it is honest, and a lot of the time, it is dependent on the modern pop sound Self Esteem has tied herself to. Dance routines, flashes of defiance and the act of doing what you do not care to do, not because you must, but out of spite. Confidence is crucial for a commentary like A Complicated Woman, and there are plenty of tender songs, moments of nuance from Taylor’s pen. A spoken-word piece opens the album, the anger and seething momentum backed by strings. Messages of cowardice and confidence, the back-and-forth the mind brings is a relatable moment. Some days are filled with an unstoppable energy; others start with honest intent and derail rapidly. A Complicated Woman tries to be more than the sum of its moments, though, like Prioritise Pleasure, has trouble pulling the music and the message together at times.

Second song Focus is Power defies those odds and brings about one of the best songs Self Esteem has put out in some time. All Taylor needs is strings, backing vocalists, and that defiant tone, which is never lost, but sometimes needs profiling that little bit better. A Complicated Woman is an ultimately wise and powerful listen. Focus is power. Independence is something to strive for and maintain once achieved. Independence is crucial in understanding the purpose of this Self Esteem record, either respect for it or the gain of it. Once the album warms to its tones, the heavier, pop-adjacent beats of Mother, for instance, Self Esteem finds herself with some outstanding commentaries on social expectations. A Complicated Woman is an album of moments, and thankfully those sections are essential.  

A broader instrumental scope, a honed and powerful message the whole way through, the standout comes from instrumental preference more than the like or dislike of the writing. Logic, Bitch! has such a tenderness, a sweet and yet still strong style to it which relays the feelings of independent growth alongside or apart from a loved one. At a time of this or that, it is reassuring, welcoming even, to hear an artist create with a search for clarity. There are roaring, brilliant moments where the past and present are severed in the hopes of creating a better future, as is the case for the brilliant Cheers to Me, but we all know the road back to weeping in train carriages is an easy diversion.  

Self Esteem finds a thrill in the literal meaning of their stage name with this release. This is the emotive blur of danceable qualities and lyrics to give you pause for thought, those ever-necessary sparks of reflection are here. Something will happen because it has got to, as is told by If Not Now, It’s Soon. Change is not the purpose of the song, but the guidance which comes before it, the active and conscious participation in making a difference for yourself, that is what becomes clear. Instrumentally interesting, constantly questioning lyrics, Self Esteem steadies herself in those early songs and finds a confident approach to the terrors of the modern-day. From sex to love to hope and hate, Self Esteem has championed and considered it all in this blur of electrified, thrilling pop stability. Great fun, a real heart, and her best album to date.