Album Review: Bertie Blackman - Pope Innocent X

Bertie Blackman's fourth studio album, Pope Innocent X, is an accomplished display of the singer's incredible musical dexterity, with impressively complex instrumental arrangement, vocals and lyrical content spanning the entire record.

The album begins with Tremors, which captures the listener's attention immediately with its intriguing vocal introduction and hard-hitting, syncopated rhythm. Mercy Killers is equally striking, with heavily textured instrumental lines and complex rhythms. However, the track's lyricism is not as sophisticated as that of the opener. Growl Howl consolidates the build-up created by the opening songs, again with an intense rhythm and captivating vocal arrangement.

Unfortunately, the record falters slightly with Boy, which feels less cohesive and less effective than other tracks. Blackman truly displays her remarkable versatility with Accordion Boat, which is softer and slower than the preceding tracks, focusing less on rhythm and allowing the singer's incredibly powerful vocals to dominate. Stella marks a change in pace once again, with its piano melody and affecting high vocal tones displaying both the singer's wide range of musical competence and her impressive vocal range.

Shadow Chasers is one of the most entrancing songs on the record, with its softer, steady, calm vocals taking centre stage. The album closes with Mistakes, which, while not nearly as striking as some of the other songs on the album, is nonetheless an effective choice of closer as its simple piano melody and emotive lyricism demand and hold the listener's attention from beginning to end. Pope Innocent X's strength is that there is really never a dull moment, with Blackman constantly providing the listener new ways to absorb and appreciate her formidable musical talent.