Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party Review

Those not in the know may see Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party pass them by. Even those scouring for hints as Hayley Williams dropped seventeen of the eighteen songs featured on her surprise third solo album may have struggled to figure out their meaning. Short, sweet, and assured pieces of indie rock work are what Williams provides on her third solo release. A step away from Paramore and into bedroom-pop tone,s which do as the title would suggest. This is the death of ego put to song. Performative professionals or passers-by are all too common. There is a fear of the self when put into online spheres, a lack of individualism, which has been expressed on previous passion projects this year. Williams does much the same with this essential latest album. Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party holds within it a firm desire to distance Williams from whatever musical flavour is popular right now.  

Inevitably confident songs can be found throughout Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. Those vocal modifications, the howls and near-breaking point heard on Ice in My OJ are nothing short of magnificent. At a time when popstars are performing with simple, radio-friendly tones which are all about building brands, hearing Williams sing with conviction and honesty is a breath of fresh air. Not all of it works, but such is the point of rapid-fire songs throughout Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. There are those inevitable offers to a listener to project themselves on comfortably familiar wordplay, like Glum, but they are necessary and brief hooks to bring an audience in. Williams fades in and out with these tones, from a rather searing belief in love on Whim to a by-the-numbers adaptation of the same tones on preceding songs Glum and Kill Me. It’s a mixture of clear songwriting and curt recognition, and that is how Williams maintains the charm of Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.  

Part of the problem Williams manages well here is the patchiness. There’s a relatively light and almost nostalgic instrumental tone across Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. She grows into it well, with Disappearing Man the first truly great example of this finer balance between the importance of independence and the effectiveness which comes in familiar stylings. A Different Love sparks a procession of deeper, darker conversations with the self. Brotherly Hate and Negative Self Talk are where the focus is more on the disintegration of trust in relationships we hold dear. A failed attempt at catchy hooks and repetitive lyrics making up the chorus steal away from strong work on the verses. Forget all that, though, the title track is a menacing hit on contemporary culture and the sacrifice of values in favour of fame, no matter the cost. A powerful song which kindles the ongoing rejection of performative pop Williams dictates throughout.  

Fame and chart-topping artists are in a karaoke bar of their own making, bending to the whim of outsider interests. Williams shares as much, and this read she has on pop culture seems to be why Paramore is on break. An alienation with the industry leads to a self-released solo album, which sounds far stronger than This Is Why. A strange adaptation of The Bad Touch by Bloodhound Gang derails the sincerity a little, but this is a project meant more as an open assessment of the peaks and troughs. A few rough patches and experiments are far more enjoyable than the flatlining, shallow waters of other pop artists releasing albums this year. Williams’ challenge to the profits and performance which come from chart-topping artists is a powerful moment for the Paramore lead, whose third solo album is a magnificent experience. A wide-ranging piece of work which features an instrumental confidence and liberating, experimental writing style which, while not full of hits, is full of passion.