Mathilda Homer is well and truly back. After stepping away from the spotlight to build a family, with her two kids holding centre stage (at home) and on the album's cover art, Homer is back on stage and in the studio, releasing her debut album, 'Love Gets Bigger'.
The album's title track lasts just 55 seconds but makes an immediate impression with Homer's beautiful vocals and soft, ambient piano. Rather than feeling incomplete, it captures an intimate moment and leaves you wanting more. If Homer draws on personal experience, the lyrics feel especially tender: "you're never too big / never too damn small to come home to me / and it's true / you have no idea how much you can love / cause the love just gets bigger for you". Warm and reassuring, the song offers unconditional love without expectation. It somewhat feels like a lullaby for one of her children, transformed into a song for fans. Homer's close, soothing vocals and delicate instrumentation make this brief tune wonderfully moving.
'Stay Young' is an ode to the listeners' younger selves, a song about holding on to past loves and living life to the fullest. With soft guitar accompaniment, it follows the gentle sound of the next song, 'Pretty In Blue', but with a bit more grit; the added drumbeat turns it from a lullaby into a fully grown pop song. Homer's voice shines through, with her almost signature husk on some of the drawn-out notes.
Next is a collaboration with Aquilo. 'Guilty' has a certain depth and atmospheric feel, as if it goes deeper than some of the other songs. The backing vocals lift this song to the next level. It strikes a perfect balance of drama and emotion, between being made to "feel guilty" and "talking to a stranger / even your voice was cold like the winter". It's a story of how people change and how you can be made to "plead guilty". Almost like a diary that says you should live life to the fullest, for yourself, with the added bonus of being sung over a stunning piano track.
The previously released single 'Doctor' is also about avoiding life's horrors and needing someone to help you out of the hole you've fallen into. It mentions how you can "keep pushing people away", saying things you don't mean and needing someone to "throw [you] a line" to help you get out, even though you know you're stuck. It has a classic pop sound, which juxtaposes the almost folk vibe you can hear in the next track, 'The Landlord'; it has almost a chant-like feel to the vocals, with yet another layer of instrumentation in the tambourine.
'Weapons' is simply stunning; it sounds like it belongs on a soundtrack. It's a song about lowering your guard and stopping the fight against everything and everyone as the "world's gone wild". Homer's voice has such power and control in this song, and the lyrics "go on babe put down your weapons / save yourself another war / cause every day's another battle / but you don't have to win them all" feel so personal that they're sure to make it a fan favourite. The song hits even harder when viewed from a broader perspective: with everything happening in the world, from femicide to genocide, just getting up each day and watching the world implode can feel like a battle. It's a meaningful reminder that, as an everyday person, "you don't have to fix them all".
'Broken Nose' gives the guitar more power with its slightly longer introduction, leading into an emotionally raw song about abuse. It's about doing everything for someone, only to be used to make him feel bigger when he breaks your nose. A few years later, she escapes and has to "learn where she came from" after he stripped away her sense of self and stole everything she knew. The song circles back to femicide and to how prevalent it feels to speak out as an artist.
'Cathedral Walls' brings listeners back to that soothing, lullabyesque sound. The lyrics "wearing your heart on show / growing apart / growing together / this is the start / I'll love you forever" show this song is clearly about love, whether true, first, or long-lost. It should be dedicated to her producer and husband, Isaac Waddington. The debut album ends with an outro titled 'The End'; the beautiful instrumentation from 'Love Gets Bigger' swells in with additional violins and strings.
'Love Gets Bigger' has emotional power that resonates deeply, creating a hold on listeners, thanks to the album's sense of intimacy and impact. Listeners will hopefully get to see it in future live shows.
Francesca Wood
Image: 'Love Gets Bigger' Official Album Cover