By Makayla Flenoury
On Feb. 17, Willow released her seventh studio album: “Petal Rock Black.” As a huge fan of Willow, this drop took me by surprise, literally. I didn’t know. What didn’t surprise me was how great the album is.
Willow’s discography spans a wide variety of genres across her albums. From alternative R&B and neo-soul to rock and pop-punk. Her songs feature a common theme of self-discovery, emotional depth, spirituality, growth and empowerment. And of course, whipping her hair.
She is a powerful symbol for many communities, uniting a diverse audience with her compelling voice. She presents her personal journey across all her albums, allowing listeners to connect at different points in their own lives.
“Petal Rock Black” is a rather short album, with only 12 songs and a total of 26 minutes, but that doesn’t detract from its essence.
The album opens with the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton speaking over airy and thunderous rain. The sounds aid in Clinton painting a picture of a stormy cathedral with the lyrics, “Storm-smeared picture/ Worship, his whisper.” Clinton then refers to the Goddess who wishes for her people to grow with the lyrics “Dreams a symphony we all soar on/Goddess, rain woman.” The last line of the interlude signals a reflection inward and growth with “Shadow me, Mother/With your ear to the cocoon.”
I believe this interlude is setting up the album to reflect Willow’s inner work, self-growth and growth away from things that may confine her. The following song, “Vegetation,” supports the idea of denying expectations.
“Vegetation” takes a stand. The music is powerful and self-assured, but ebullient and elegant. Willow often uses her voice as instrumentation, which works well with strong percussion, wispy piano, and later, brazen guitar. The instrumentation of her voice and the music only get more assertive as the song goes on.
The lyrics focus on breaking free, saying “I don’t know why I have to be just who you want me to” and repeating the phrase “Just let me go, just let me” at the end of every verse. Willow is singing with a calm rasp, paired with an assured beat shows that she is sure of who she is.
Track 6, “Not a Fantasy,” further dives into the idea of growth and resisting expectations. This is my favorite song from the album because of how much it resonates. Again, Willow relies on her vocals, percussion and guitar to make up the beat. Except this time, it’s thin, calm and flowy, creating a raw, intimate feel rather than the assertive one.
The main theme of “Not a Fantasy” is self-love. Leading into the first verse is a blunt “I am enough.” There’s a small pause to emphasize the first line. My favorite part of the song is the chorus, which repeats the phrases “It’s not a fantasy to be who you are” and “It’s not a fantasy to live like the water does.”
It’s no secret that Willow lives a more spiritual lifestyle. Spirituality is often scorned by society, even being deemed as evil or demonic, or it is seen as “woo-woo,” implying the people who follow spiritual practices are crazy or living in a fantasy. Willow denies the stereotypes society placed on her beliefs.
“Omnipotent” speaks deeper into spiritual beliefs. The beats’ simplicity with the lyrics evokes a sense of peace and contentment. The first verse “All the time I’m in awe of all the beauty all/All around me, I see it clearly” and “I’m just searching every moment to find the truth/Maybe I’ll find out, maybe I won’t.” The second verse speaks similarly, showing the growth of the song’s protagonist. Willow is presenting the lens of peace and contentment, choosing to see the beauty in everything, to let go of worry and stop trying to dictate what you can’t control.
“Nothing and Everything” is another one of my favorite tracks. The use of string instruments creates an intimate, vulnerable feeling. The deep emotion in Willow’s airy voice brings a sense of comfort.
The song could be interpreted in two ways: as a love song or Willow referring to the self. I interpret the song as the latter. The song starts with, “whenever there’s nothing, there’s you,” meaning at the end of the day, you always have yourself. The verses alternate ending lines between “you destroy it all” and “how you birth it all,” referring to the mind’s ability to dictate one’s reality. Like pessimism vs optimism.
The album completes Willow’s transformation with the final track “Ear to the Cocoon.” The song features the same lyrics from the beginning track, but instead of George Clinton’s raspy voice and thunderous rain, it’s Willow’s voice changing pace, cadence and having fun.
The beauty of the album comes from the jazz beats, smooth rhythm and the deeper meaning behind it. As a spiritual listener, the album moved me. The way it resonates is almost healing. Putting aside my beliefs, this is one of Willow’s weaker albums compared to “Empathogen” or “Coping Mechanism,” which are stronger lyrically and have more complex compositions. Even so, I would give this album 4/5 stars.