Fans will be happy to know that fourth album, ‘Angel’, is filled with sounds reminiscent ; however, this time, there’s a coating of something evolved. Instead of brutal, gut-wrenching heartbreak, this fifteen-track record explores acceptance and closure, and instead of self-reflection that tears you apart, there’s self-discovery that evokes freedom — the musicality may sound similar at times, but this addition to her discography is McAlpine’s most devoted yet.
The folk-heavy album swoons listeners with the opener and first released single, ‘The light in the painting’, a declaration of love in the form of peaceful poetry and soothing melody. The song reminds listeners of a previous opening track, ‘The Elevator’, on McAlpine’s most recent album ‘Older (And Wiser)’, as it similarly walks the line between fragile vocals and powerful band accompaniment.
For context, McAlpine wrote this album in three parts: before, during and after a break-up or more specifically, before, during and after performing on Broadway. Tonally, the stationary lifestyle that she experienced affected her creativity in unexpected ways; for one, it has allowed her to face her internal monologue as opposed to running from it. This can be heard on the third track, ‘A car wash and a new pair of pants’; the energy of a wink and a smirk is unmistakable, as she sings, “You wanted the lights and the parties, You wanted my life to be yours”. What would usually be written as a semi-victimised ballad or stripped-back acoustic tune has blossomed into an edgier call-out of the truth.
There will never be a McAlpine album without a track thirteen dedication to her late father: ‘The crowd’ is a beautiful ballad that accentuates the meaning behind her presence as an artist: “Everything I do, I do so I can make you proud, Everything I do, I make it big so you can hear the crowd”. The repetition of the lines reads like a prayer being recited, with each echo, it becomes more emotional – a song that she famously will never sing live.
A stand-out song of the album is ‘Mason’s song’: arguably the truest love song of the bunch. “But there is one thing I know, I can’t do this alone”, reflects her devotion to the friendship between her and long-standing best friend and co-producer Mason Stoops. In addition to this is friend and co-producer Taylor Mackall, practically the cherry on top of the musical trio cake.
Vocally, there are songs on the album, like the revival anthem, ‘Peach’, where McAlpine’s vocals are more controlled, powerful and challenging than ever – likely, a product of her time on Broadway. The versatility of ‘Angel’ comes from the inspiration of McAlpine’s personal music collection, with each song beautifully complementing the next, from the 1970s, Joni Mitchell-inspired, ‘Anybody’s fool’, to the crooner-styled seven-minute long ‘Our strange ways’.
The title track brings the story to an end with a beautiful sigh, like finishing a novel with fierce satisfaction but an immediate need to re-read: “Angel in a brilliant light, Watching me, Smile at her through the glass, Home and free, I have always been here waiting, Just to be”. From top to bottom, every inch of ‘Angel’ is meticulously thought through, from the album cover’s abstract artwork to each song’s lyrics, and the instrumentation to the no-phones exclusive album sharings. McAlpine has taken folk into 2026 and made it entirely her own.
8/10