Actress, model, mother, and sometime pop star Suki Waterhouse found her spirit animal when she learned of the Sparklemuffin , a razzle-dazzle, wildly coloured Spider who must perform to survive. Working tirelessly in one harsh industry after another from age sixteen, Waterhouse is clearly not one to be told where she can and can’t pour her creative impulses. A case in point is this sophomore effort, which sees the songwriter move on from the sweeping soft-pop of her 2022 debut and go full double album with all the genre-hopping this can entail.
Luckily, Waterhouse has dodged the first hurdle that befalls most double albums; it’s not a slog to get through. ‘..
.Sparklemuffin’ possesses a dynamic energy, with most tracks falling under the three-minute mark. However, the flip side is that many numbers feel pretty lightweight.
After the great opening two punch of ‘Gateway Drug’ and ‘Supersad,’ things are nearly derailed by the sonically-outdated ‘Blackout Drunk.’ It’s a shame, too, as Waterhouse’s lyrics lambasting a disappointing pisshead lover are relatable and fun. Album highlight ‘Faded’ quickly rights this ship.
An acoustically led charmer with swooning strings and a gorgeous chorus showcasing the singer’s upper range. It’s sweet, dreamy, and just a perfect little love song. Similarly, ‘My Fun’ captures the laid-back energy of a summer’s day as the artist spits sun-soaked imagery over a foot-tapping groove, whistles, and handclaps.
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