Maggie Rogers built a solid reputation across her first two records - 'Heard It In A Past Life', propelled by the viral Alaska, and the expansive 'Surrender' - offering an exquisite blend of folk, pop, indie and classic singer-songwriter fare. Her third LP 'Don't Forget Me' is a luscious patchwork of textures that displays her singular talent as an artist.
The title track is a good place to start. Leaning on an acoustic palette, it finds Rogers in a reflective mood: her friends are getting married and she doesn't want to be left behind. It may seem sombre but it's hard not to be swept along by her storytelling ability, with the song's sense of dislocation sure to resonate with many.
It Was Coming All Along, meanwhile, is more upbeat, with some electronic tinges driven by its background bassline.
It is the perfect way to open the record, reflecting its autobiographical themes with snippets of phone calls interspersed throughout. It marries perfectly with Drunk, which captures a rougher side to her writing, especially in its chorus.
The phone snippets return on the gorgeous, almost yacht rock Sick Of Dreaming. Rogers inhabits this new space with style to spare, pulling styles together to give the impression of a continuous story being told. The Kill shows her prowess as a guitarist, with lines vying for attention in the background and wonderfully accompanying the central narrative.
If Now Was Then is as close as we get to out-and-out pop, recalling her debut while remaining in keeping with the reflective themes of this record. I Still Do is a stripped-back track, built purely around Rogers' vocals and piano, showing her strength as a vocalist and range as a songwriter and performer. It's spellbinding.
This is a perfectly weighted album, coming in at 35 minutes, and in deftly navigating so many genre flourishes Rogers appears to be at the peak of her powers. Its autobiographical nature and nuanced storytelling are captivating, while she deftly builds on the sounds of her first two records to craft a soothing, luscious work that will reward multiple listens.
