Albums tell stories. Artists stress for days over the order their songs are put in, and fans analyze lyrics to the point of obsoletion. Musicians like Taylor Swift and Hozier are known for perfecting the art of marrying beautiful lyricism and musicality. While Benson Boone does have the ability to write a catchy song, he’s lacking in lyricism.

When you press play on Benson Boone’s first album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, you’re met by soft, slow piano and a grainy voice lamenting about love. The song (simply titled Intro) quickly builds as the voice comes into focus and then grows faster and more upbeat as it leads you into the album. This smoothly transitions into the next track, Be Someone, a high-energy love song. 

Boone’s lyrics are simple and maybe a little boring, but his songs are so catchy they remain stuck in your head days after listening to them. The plain lyrics, while a little disappointing, allow the songs to quickly be memorized, which ends up working to Boone’s benefit. 

Boone’s success is owed greatly to social media, as he tends to tease his songs for weeks to months in advance of the release date. This helps to build up tension and excitement for the release, but it can also lead to disappointment and anger at teasing the same part over and over without actually releasing it. Boone used this excitement to his advantage and released his entire album on the popular streaming site TikTok a week before the release, which helped boost his numbers and build enthusiasm for the official release. 

Boone’s latest album also includes his former hits, In The Stars and Ghost Town, along with the previously released lead single, Beautiful Things. The inclusion of these songs highlights how Boone has grown, as they were initially released in 2022. These slower songs provide a nice contrast to the rest of the album, which is more upbeat and energetic.

One song where Boone’s lyricism shines through is Forever And A Day, a slow love song about the feeling of knowing your lover in a past life. While Boone usually tends to lack metaphors and poetic lyrics, his words thrive with visuals of butterflies and the Milky Way. 

While Fireworks & Rollerblades starts with high energy, it ends with What Do You Want, a more melodramatic song. It starts soft and slow, asking what else he will have to give up, and begging to be left alone. By the end, he’s celebrating his freedom, yelling that he’s “finally free”. It makes for a conclusive and happy ending to the album, and finishes the story of Fireworks & Rollerblades.