Liza Anne’s Utopian is a riotously fun assertion of self-worth. One of the album’s most vibrant tracks, “Treat Me,” pairs feminist lyrics with constantly shifting instrumentation, from tactile wood blocks and shakers to dreamy electric guitar and synths. Born Elizabeth Anne Odachowski, the nonbinary singer-songwriter spends much of the song in a didactic mode, alluding to the dangers faced by women and queer people in public spaces: “If you feel like I’m talking to you, then listen/Don’t treat me like that.”
Indeed, many of the songs on Utopian serve as teachable moments for Odachowski, who offers a series of personal and political lessons throughout, some more revelatory than others. On the album’s title track, the artist proposes remaining friends with an ex, singing, “We don’t have to shine a bad light/Just because it’s changing.” Odachowski’s optimism matches the track’s bright, jangly sonics and infectious chorus. It’s a blithe take on a breakup song that offers a refreshing rebuke to the jadedness that audiences have become accustomed to.
This rosy outlook doesn’t always translate as well to social issues, as on “Listen,” which tackles the topic of political polarization. Odachowski attempts to inspire listeners toward political action but instead wastes the song’s subtle groove on vague lyrics about “listen[ing] to the other side” and the need for “really good conversations.” These sentiments, while well-intentioned, ring hollow against the immediacy of tracks like “Internet Depression,” in which Odachowski laments the inability to find meaningful connection on social media.
Still, Utopian is energizing even when Odachowski isn’t trying to be a therapist or activist. Opener “Cheerleader,” which is perhaps more on the nose than St. Vincent’s song of the same name but slightly less literal than Ashnikko’s, incorporates rhythmic chanting, marching-band brass, and a drumline interlude with a disco-funk bassline and percussive guitar. The result is Odachowski’s most colorful song to date, boasting a wealth of hooks and immense replay value.
Odachowski conjures the defiant spirit of female-fronted rock groups like the Go-Go’s and the Bangles on the punk-inflected “Rainbow Sweater” and “Shania Twain Is Making Me Cry.” The album’s tapestry of musical references—pop-rock, disco, jangle-pop, punk rock, riot grrrl—evokes defiance, celebration, and joy, all of which are captured by the wholesome closing track, “Thank You for Your Time.” As Utopian ends, Odachowski offers winking thanks to listeners, modeling an uncommon sense of gratitude for love and for the opportunity to share it.
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