Tag Archives: Finneas O’Connell

Arachnophonia: Billie Eilish “Hit Me Hard and Soft”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Susanne (class of 2026) and features Billie Eilish’s 2024 studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft. Thanks, Susanne!

Billie Eilish
Hit Me Hard and Soft

Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft

Great news, music library people! Our vinyl collection is expanding and we have some exciting new(er) records to share with you all. One addition that’s been super exciting to me is Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft.

Eilish’s third studio album was released just last year on May 17, 2024 and was co-authored by her brother, Finneas O’Connell. The album features 10 tracks, most of which you’ve probably heard on the radio, on social media, or out in public. Hit Me Hard and Soft was widely praised and received two Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. It explores themes of love, heartbreak, insecurity, and queer identity and relationships.

When I first listened to the album I jumped between songs a bit, not realizing the musical and narrative elements that flowed between each track when played in order. Each song blends into the next, creating a really cool, cohesive listening experience which, in my opinion, is even better when using physical music like a record instead of a streaming platform. My favorite songs have shifted a lot since the album was released, but as of right now I would recommend “Chihiro,” “The Greatest,” and “Bittersuite.”

Hit Me Hard and Soft is at times humorous and snarky, occasionally heartbreaking, and always vocally and musically superb. Definitely check it out (literally, at the library!) and enjoy this album that has so much to offer.

Arachnophonia: Billie Eilish “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Susanne (class of 202*) and features Billie Eilish’s 2019 studio album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?. Thanks, Susanne!

Billie Eilish

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”

Billie Eilish released her debut studio album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, at the age of 17 with the help of her older brother, Finneas, who co-wrote and produced the album. The album soared to the top of Billboard charts and received widespread recognition for its cohesive vision, unique sound, and relatable themes. In 2020, Billie Eilish went on to become the first woman to win the four major Grammy categories (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) in the same year.

I love this album because of Eilish’s impressive vocal range and the wide variety of subject matter she pulls from to engage the audience. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? draws from the experiences of lucid dreaming and night terrors while tackling serious issues facing young people, including drug addiction, mental health, relationships, and climate change. Pop, electric, R&B, trap, and jazz music influences also allow the album to play with form and sound in really captivating ways. In “Xanny,” for example, Eilish plays with different sounds to create the intense ambience of being at a party in secondhand smoke around intoxicated people. “When the Party’s Over,” on the other hand, is more of a soulful, lyrical ballad with a piano base.

Since the release of her debut album, Eilish’s popularity has skyrocketed. Although her tour for this album was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she completed a world tour for her second album Happier Than Ever in 2023. Finneas and Billie continue to receive accolades for their musical talents, including for their song, “What Was I Made For?,” created for the record-breaking Barbie movie in the summer of 2023. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? set a strong foundation for Eilish as a powerful album with songs that resonate with young listeners across genres.