Hayley Williams drops soul-wrenching new album ‘FLOWERS for VASES/descansos’

Hayley Williams has released her second solo album which is also the second album of hers that has been released during the coronavirus pandemic, keeping fans consoled with acoustic lullabies with a sting in their tail.

Williams has stated that ‘FLOWERS for VASES/descansos’ is almost like a prequel to her first solo release ‘Petals for Armor’ or that it fits somewhere between part one and part two of the albums track categories that split into rage, healing and learning to love again. And it certainly feels this way.

Hayley Williams in her quarantine-purchase jacuzzi (taken from Twitter @yelyahwilliams)

On this album, Williams explores the contradiction between knowing you must let go but just wanting to hold on to a hurtful lover. Mostly lead by acoustic guitar, the album expresses her vocals in a way which yet again expands on what we expect of the Paramore frontwoman’s punchy belt and vicious vocals. Cries, whispers and deep vocals straight from the pit of the stomach span the albums track list, showcasing a soft, folk aspect of Williams’ (seemingly) never-ending range.

Opening with ‘First Thing To Go’, the loss of remembering things about her ex-lover after he has left are explored in a therapeutic mourning. Tracks such as ‘Trigger’ and ‘Good Grief’ stab and sting with hurt and confusion and brings those feelings of unbearable heartbreak and loss into words that make sense and resonate with those who have been betrayed in love. Williams explores her vulnerability throughout, with no disguising that the love did not diminish with his loss. Lyrics such as ‘there’s no such thing as good grief’ and ‘I get off on telling everyone what went wrong, it makes me feel like the pain had a purpose’ verbalise how it feels when oversharing, a typical trauma response that many of us may have experienced and is bold in stating that grief is not glamourous, it is ugly and soul-destroying.

Musically, the album was entirely written and recorded by Williams alone; it layers textures of thought-provoking piano, gentle southern guitar and siren-like, hypnotizing backing vocals. Arguably, this could be the most emotionally exploitive work we have seen from the Nashville based powerhouse and is lathered in immense bravery. This album is exposed flesh, open wounds and nights of tear-induced headaches brought to fruition.

For those who magnetise towards Hayley Williams for her rocky edge, this album may not be for you. ‘FLOWERS for VASES’ is an album that takes dedicated listening on its first play, it needs to be heard and observed and digested. It has a narrative and tells stories that cannot be played on shuffle or in short bursts. Those looking for punchy, fast rock should probably look to the future of Paramore, which Williams will not let us forget ‘is still a band’.