The Louvre (song)

"The Louvre"
Song by Lorde
from the album Melodrama
Studio
  • Conway (Los Angeles)
  • Rough Customer (Brooklyn Heights)
  • Westlake (Los Angeles)
Genre Electropop
Length 4:31
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"The Louvre" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde for her second album, Melodrama (2017). She co-wrote and co-produced the track with Jack Antonoff, with additional production from Flume and Malay. "The Louvre" is an electropop song which has influences of other genres such as indie rock and ambient music. Its name derives from the Louvre, an art museum in Paris, France. The lyrics talk about Lorde's honest, lightly-manic analysis of a newly-sparked romance comparing it to a painting hung behind the quintessential works of the Louvre.

Reviewers praised the song's lyrics and production, and it landed on several year-end lists. Its guitar riff was compared to Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" (1975), and the sound to Taylor Swift's 1989 (2014) album. The track centers around themes of obsession and infatuation as it continues the narrative established in the previous song, "Homemade Dynamite". Lorde performed "The Louvre", with six other songs, as part of a re-imagined Vevo series at the Electric Lady Studios where she recorded most of her album, and at the 2017 Glastonbury Festival. It is part of the set list of her ongoing Melodrama World Tour (2017–2018).

Recording and composition

The Louvre art museum in Paris, France, the song's namesake (pictured)

Lorde recorded "The Louvre" at three different locations in the United States. She began recording at Conway Recording Studios, in Los Angeles, California, assisted by recording engineer Eric Eylands. They also recorded at Rough Customer Studio, in Brooklyn Heights, New York, with Barry McCready and Jack Antonoff. Recording was completed at Westlake Recording Studios, in Los Angeles, with Greg Eliason. John Hanes mixed the song at MixStar Studios, assisted by John Hanes. Other personnel include Flume, who provided the song's bass line and drums, as well as Malay, who produced the electronic beats. Both provided additional production for the track.[1]

"The Louvre" is composed in the key of C Major with a tempo of 124 beats per minute. Lorde's vocals span a range of E3 to A4 and its chord progression follows a basic sequence of C–C/5–F5–A5.[2] It is a electropop song,[3] which has influences of other genres such as indie rock[4] and ambient music.[5][6] According to Nolan Feeley of Entertainment Weekly, "The Louvre" describes the early stages of a casual relationship "doomed to fail". The song starts with Lorde's voice accompanied by a guitar, before becoming "a storm of glitchy electro-pop."[3] NME described it as a "wide-eyed, heart-skippy pop" track.[7] Its lyrics also reveal the singer's sense of humor, in the line, "But we're the greatest, they'll hang us in the Louvre / Down the back, but who cares, still the Louvre."[8][9] The song centers around themes of obsession and infatuation as it continues the narrative established in the album's previous song, "Homemade Dynamite".[10][11]

In an exclusive podcast interview with The Spinoff, Lorde revealed that she wanted to evoke the feeling of the "big sun-soaked dumbness of falling in love," and the emotion of "big dumb joy" which is intense. She said that the "instrumentation" helped reflect those emotions.[12] In that same interview, the singer revealed that Frank Ocean's Blonde (2016) album served as inspiration for constructing "The Louvre"'s sound. Lorde spoke of how in a "post-Blonde landscape", instrumentation in songs has become more flexible. She stated that she could have made a "big, easy single" but refrained from doing so as she felt it would not mean much to "simplify the journey" or "force a big chorus."[13] Newsweek noted Phil Collins' influence on the track, most notably the "soaring synths" and "guitar intro", which is reminiscent of Collins' signature "sky-high drums and ethereal production".[14] The track's guitar riff was also compared to Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" (1975)[15] and more recently, the sound on Taylor Swift's album 1989 (2014).[15]

Reception

"The Louvre" received critical acclaim from music critics, with many praising its lyrics and production; it was also called a stand-out track on Melodrama.[16][17] In a review roundup for The Fader, editor Owen Myers described the song as a "biting call-and-answer pre-chorus [that] flips between feelings of self-doubt and giddy romance." Aimee Cliff said that Lorde captured the "self-importance of first love so well." Patrick D. McDermott compared the guitar outro to the work of The Cure or The Cranberries.[18] Will Richards from DIY noted that a "rushed lyric half way through the second verse epitomises the whole record".[19] Kitty Empire of The Guardian called it a "dazzling synthesis of pro-dramatics and originality" and said the track was "nigh-on impossible to dance to."[20] Pitchfork's Stacey Anderson noted the song captured an "immersive bliss", as well as a "shared frequency of love just as irrepressibly grandiose as its sound".[21]

Several critics placed "The Louvre" on their year-end, best songs lists. Stereogum put the recording in the number 13 spot on its year-end list, saying that Melodrama described the "wreckage that can result from passionate youthful romance," but that the song also served as a reminder of what "giddy, intoxicating wonders can come of it too."[22] On their year-end list, Vice editor Larry Fitzmaurice ranked the song at number 47, calling it one of the album's "weirdest moments". He felt the song "continually [built] to a climax that never happen[ed]." He noted, "It's delayed gratification at its finest — only, the gratification arrives via the endless delay, with dusky 4AD-ish guitars ushering the whole thing out of the room. You never know what you're gonna get from Lorde, and "The Louvre" is just one of many examples of why that's a very, very good thing."[23] Pitchfork ranked the track at number 42 of the year, calling the song's "emotional precision" overwhelming.[24] On Spin's year-end list, "The Louvre" was ranked at number nine, with the publication calling the internal monologue "hilariously refreshing and entirely relatable", and one of Lorde's "strongest [songs] to date".[25]

"The Louvre" entered the Recorded Music NZ Heatseeker Singles chart at number one on 26 June 2017.[26] It also entered the NZ Artists Singles Chart at number five that week[27] before peaking at number four.[28]

Live performances

Lorde performing "The Louvre" at the Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Canada with a guitarist

Lorde first performed "The Louvre" at the Glastonbury Festival in London. The performance began with a clear box slowly filling with dancers, followed by Lorde's arrival. The box was described as tilting "back-and-forth" above the singer's head as the performance continued. She dedicated the track to any audience member "harbouring a secret crush."[29] The performance received acclaim from critics, with The Independent giving it a four out of five-star review, calling it a "bold and brilliant" debut.[30]

The track was also performed at the Bowery Auditorium in New York City, on the night of the singer's album release party, with two other tracks.[31] For the Melodrama World Tour (2017–2018), Lorde performs "The Louvre" after her first costume change. It is proceeded by vintage video snippets that flicker across a "giant old-school TV." A reviewer for the London Evening Standard described the videos as "art and music merged into a cohesive exploration of love, loss and loneliness."[32] The track is performed in a set of three acts with "The Louvre" being part of the second. After the clips, Lorde returns to the stage wearing a white gown, a different look from the black chiffon dress she wore earlier.[33] She prefaces each song with a backstory, saying "The Louvre" is about the "ups and downs of a new crush."[34]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Melodrama.[1]

Management

Personnel

  • Lorde – songwriting, vocals, production
  • Jack Antonoff – songwriting, production
  • Flume – additional production
  • Malay – additional production
  • Serban Ghenea – mix engineering
  • John Hanes – mixing
  • Randy Merrill – mastering
  • Barry McCready – engineering assistance
  • Eric Eylands – engineering assistance
  • Greg Eliason – engineering assistance
  • Laura Sisk – engineering

Charts

Chart (2017) Peak
position
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[26] 1

References

  1. 1 2 Melodrama (CD). Lorde. United States: Lava/Republic Records. 2017. B0026615-02.
  2. ↑ "Lorde "The Louvre" Sheet Music in C Major". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  3. 1 2 Feeney, Nolan (16 June 2017). "Lorde makes partying sound holy on Melodrama: EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Adams, Cameron (16 June 2017). "Lorde album review: How does her new record Melodrama stack up?". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  5. ↑ Hermes, Will (16 June 2017). "Review: Lorde's 'Melodrama' Is Fantastically Intimate, a Production Tour De Force". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  6. ↑ Goggins, Joe (28 June 2017). "Album Review: Lorde – Melodrama". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  7. ↑ Mackay, Emily (16 June 2017). "Lorde talks fame, growing up and her new album 'Melodrama'". NME. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  8. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (16 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama review – a cocky challenge to her pop rivals". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  9. ↑ G. Damas, Aline (30 June 2017). "Lorde's Highly-Anticipated 'Melodrama' Encapsulates the Pangs of Love". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  10. ↑ Pareles, Jon (16 June 2017). "Lorde Learns She Can't Party Away Her Melancholy on 'Melodrama'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  11. ↑ McDermott, Maeve (16 June 2017). "Lorde's 'Melodrama' is 2017's best pop album so far". Independent Mail. USA Today. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Oliver, Henry (19 June 2017). "The Spinoff Exclusive: Lorde explains the backstory behind every song on her new album". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  13. ↑ Martinez, Jose (19 June 2017). "Lorde Reveals How Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' Inspired Her Album 'Melodrama'". Complex. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  14. ↑ Shaffer, Claire (24 June 2017). "The Influences on Lorde's 'Melodrama': Frank Ocean, Robyn, Bowie and 10 Other Artists Who Shaped Its Sound". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  15. 1 2 Wilson, Carl (19 June 2017). "Lorde's new album Melodrama, reviewed". Slate. Archived from the original on 2 November 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  16. ↑ Kuppermann, Jacob (15 August 2017). "Lorde's 'Melodrama' is the most interesting album of the summer". The Stanford Daily. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  17. ↑ Bryant, Taylor (16 June 2017). "Lorde Ushers In A New Chapter With 'Melodrama'". Nylon. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  18. ↑ Cliff, Aimee; Myers, Owen; Tanzer, Myles; D. McDermott, Patrick (16 June 2017). "In a World of Playlists, Lorde's Melodrama Commands Your Attention". The Fader. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  19. ↑ Richards, Will (16 June 2017). "Album Review: Lorde – Melodrama". DIY. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  20. ↑ Empire, Kitty (18 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama review – maximum overwrought". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  21. ↑ Anderson, Stacey (16 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  22. ↑ DeVille, Chris (14 December 2017). "The Top 40 Pop Songs Of 2017". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  23. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (7 December 2017). "The 100 Best Songs of 2017". Noisey. Vice. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  24. ↑ Pelly, Jenn (11 December 2017). "The 100 Best Songs of 2017". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  25. ↑ Patel, Puja (20 December 2017). "The 101 Best Songs of 2017". Spin. Archived from the original on 21 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  26. 1 2 "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  27. ↑ "Top 20 New Zealand Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  28. ↑ "Top 20 New Zealand Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  29. ↑ Savage, Mark (24 June 2017). "Radiohead mesmerise fans at Glastonbury with a wayward, but compelling, set". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  30. ↑ Vincent, Alice (23 June 2017). "Lorde makes a bold and brilliant Glastonbury debut - review". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  31. ↑ Minsker, Evan (17 June 2017). "Watch Lorde Perform Melodrama Tracks Live for the First Time". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  32. ↑ Aubrey, Elizabeth (28 September 2017). "Lorde review: Audacious, sincere and in total command of her audience". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  33. ↑ Empire, Kitty (1 October 2017). "Lorde review – melodrama for the masses". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  34. ↑ Havens, Lyndsey (23 September 2017). "Lorde Brings the Melodrama, Chance Takes Sin City to Church and More at Life Is Beautiful Day One". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
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