Rated: Natalia Kills - Trouble

Quite often there are good pop stars, who aren't really pop stars in the full sense of the words. They write, produce and perform some very good pop songs, but too few people raise their heads to pay attention and it all fades away into the iTunes search ether. This can be said of the, at times, very good Natalia Kills. Her first proper studio album Perfectionist sold a moderate volume, but 129 in the UK charts isn't going to get you the recognition that's afforded to your peers Rihanna and Rita Ora. Alas, at least you have a major role to play in the completion of your work; just sayin'. 

At 27, Natalia Kills does deserve some recognition, even if it is just for effort. Her new album Trouble is much darker than Perfectionist and feels less contrived. Gone are the pleasant yet common sounding tracks like 'Free' and in are dirty electronic beats and rock riffs. Trouble is a mashup of electronic and rock influences, with 27 years of pain and traumatic domestic experiences thrown into the mix. 

Problem and Boy's Don't Cry show off the sassy side of Natalia Kills; in a nutshell they're songs about fucking without feelings. The former is an album standout, with a killer hook and club ready rough rock-hop synths. The latter opens with an electric guitar riff, before popping into a playground chant about getting nailed and leaving a guy to deal with his emotional attachment. "I'll be yours tonight but don't hold me too tight/ When we say goodbye remember boys don't cry" she sings on a fun turn on gender stereotypes, putting the guy in a role that's typically stamped on females. This 'fucking' theme continues on Gwen Stefani inspired Rabbit Hole, which sounds like a 'Hollaback Girl' clone. It's not an instant like, but after 3 or 4 plays you'll find yourself getting quite addicted to self assurance Natalia Kills pours into her semi rap verses. The decadent album content flounders on Controversy though. Although it has some of the most fun production on the album, the point of the song never really shows itself and the whole affair seems needless. 

There are a few ballads on Trouble and they serve as a break from the roaring electronics, but they're the weakest moments on the album. Watching You is hard to get into and seems a bit washed out and the feeling extends to Devils Don't Fly, but thankfully the piano lead Marlboro Lights is a surprise album favourite, with a confident and authentic vocal performance and some lovely lyrics to boot. The lesson is that Natalia Kills is certainly not a ballad artist.

Things get incredibly good with Saturday Night, by far the album's strongest track and one of my top 25 tracks of 2013 (teaser). It's an anthemic track, with a wavering 80s synth and pounding beats layered amidst the revealing lyrics about her father's alcoholism and domestic abuse of her mother: "Momma you're beautiful tonight/ Movie star hair and that black eye/ You can't even notice it when you smile so hard through a heart felt lie..." The quality continues with Outta Time & Daddy's Girl. The latter another standout track with some brilliant lyrical structures and a more poppy production than the rest of the album.

Trouble probably won't hit the top 10, not that it doesn't deserve to, it is certainly good enough. The problem for Natalia Kills is that although her songs are, at times, brilliant the majority of them are not loveable on first listen. This could be down to the fact that the lyrics are a bit too intricate/clever, making it hard to pick up on first play. Once you do though, once you get that hook you really do discover something/someone quite special. I advise anyone who hasn't explored this artist before to give her a chance because her honesty & delivery warrant attention.

Download: Saturday Night / Daddy's Girl / Problem / Boys Don't Cry

3.5/5