Suki Waterhouse gives us a dreamy glimpse into the good and bad with Memoir of a Sparklemuffin

The multitalented actress, model, and singer Suki Waterhouse has released her second studio album less than six months after having a child. The best way to describe it: dreamy; a word that encapsulates the entirety of Memoir of a Sparklemuffin while still leaving room for all else Suki Waterhouse has to offer. The harmonies, reverb, and strategic silences make the listener feel as if they’ve fallen asleep under a sea of fireflies. Not only does each song on the album fit together, but the album fits well within Waterhouse’s discography. She gives us pop, indie rock, and more; her voice never once sounding out of place. Named after none other than the Sparklemuffin spider, this album takes the listener through bits and pieces of her life almost as if you’re experiencing them yourself. Waterhouse doesn’t mince words; telling us exactly what and how it happened throughout each song and in turn, each story.

The first track ‘Gateway Drug’ is only fitting to start off the album, insinuating that this song is your gateway drug to the other seventeen songs. Softly, Waterhouse eases into the song with electric guitar plucking tamely behind her. This gives us a look into the rest of the album, and before long drums join her; willing the guitar to match the energy. There’s a good mix of high and low energy songs dispersed evenly throughout. The slowest and dreamiest of the album ‘Lullaby’ sits comfortably in the middle, acting like an intermission between her experiences. It follows the slow solemn ‘To Get To You,’ though gives zero warning of the pop rock ‘Big Love’ afterwards. This is both jolting and exhilarating, giving the listener a rush and early on prefaces the last song on the album: ‘To Love.’ It ends us off on the same high that began our listening journey. At first listen it feels unfinished, but when taking a step back to look at the album as a whole the last track gives it not only finality but continuity. You could listen to this album again and again, not even realizing when it’s ended or begun; a nod to the immortality of the stories within these eighteen tracks.

Waterhouse sings of heartbreak, lawsuits, and love; leaving nothing on the table lyrically. Instrumentally, however, there’s a lot of repetition. While that makes the album feel unified, it also makes it difficult to individualize some of the songs. There is, like previously stated, pop and indie rock throughout and that does sort the song into categories. A hint of a third category emerges throughout in ‘My Fun’ and ‘Faded,’ both songs incorporating new elements into Waterhouse’s recognizable style.

I’m giving Memoir of a Sparklemuffin by Suki Waterhouse 4.5/5 stars because it is truly a great album that only Waterhouse could create. Her distinct voice flows with ease throughout each song, making the listening experience that much better. It’s not 5/5 stars because there is some repetition where there could be something different. That is the struggle when creating an album, deciding how together you want it to sound. Overall, this album is a beautiful project, and we can only wonder what she will do next.