Although it's technically a sophomore album, Cape God sounds more like a breakthrough debut from an exciting new artist. Reinventing her sound and stripping back the colorfully provocative imagery that has defined her career thus far, Canadian pop chameleon Allie X presents a fresh vision of herself, which finally hits the sweet spot between her heretofore catchy songwriting ability and genuine, emotional depth. Without discounting her past work -- which landed closer to Lady Gaga's early-career alien-pop side of the spectrum -- the material on Cape God veers toward the boundary-pushing and substantive alternative pop of artists like Charli XCX and Marina. To that end, Allie X deftly joins the pack, adopting recognizable styles and making them her own. Here, the "X" in her name is the variable in Cape God's voracious pop equation, where "X" might equal Billie Eilish ("Devil I Know"), Carly Rae Jepsen ("Sarah Come Home"), St. Vincent (the standout "Susie Save Your Love" with Mitski), Confidence Man ("Super Duper Party People"), or Lana Del Rey ("Madame X" and "Love Me Wrong" with frequent collaborator Troye Sivan). The familiarity makes each track on Cape God immediately accessible, while the lyrics pull listeners into this fictional setting, which was inspired by a documentary about the all-too-real opioid epidemic in Cape Cod. The resulting vulnerability and darker lyrical perspective adds a maturity not yet heard in her catalog. Additional highlights include the pulsing "Fresh Laundry," a dramatic opener torn between longing and resignation; the bouncy "Sarah Come Home"; and the funky "June Gloom," which captures the essence of Cape God with the lyric "what a beautiful sadness/what a beautiful day." These songs may sound fun, upbeat, and lovelorn, but there's a dour and utterly realistic undercurrent that makes Cape God Allie X's most relatable and human effort to date. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi

1		Fresh Laundry
2		Devil I Know
3		Regulars
4		Sarah Come Home
5		Rings a Bell
6		June Gloom
7		Love Me Wrong
8		Super Duper Party People
9		Susie Save Your Love
10		Life of the Party
11		Madame X
12		Learning in Public

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