Music review

Of heartbreak & hope

This Is What The Truth Feels Like is the 3rd studio album by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani. But she is no newbie. She was a part of the band No Doubt.

The solo album comes after a gap of 10 years. The songs in the album are a mixed fare — sarcastic and with dark humour as well as joyful and happy tracks — encompassing themes such as betrayal and disappointment, a broken relationship and falling in love again. Every track in the album is co-written by her. In a way she wants to present herself the way she really is.

‘You are like drugs to me’ Stefani says to her new-found love in the opening track, “Misery” (‘Hurry up, come see me/ Pull me out of my misery.’). “Make Me Like You” is a disco stomp, and “Truth”, which has an engaging guitar hook, is a song in praise of her new-found love (‘Thank you for saving me, I can’t believe it/ Thank you’).

“Used to Love You” is a confessional track, which expresses mixed emotions blending past and present, love and hate.

(‘I don’t know why I cry/ But I think it’s because I remembered for the first time/ Since I hated you that I used to love you.’). “Send Me a Picture” is a dancehall-house number in which she tries to woo the smartphone-savvy generation (‘Wanna see you right now with no filter/Take another snapshot in the mirror.’). “Me Without You” is a song of liberation from a relationship gone sour.

The album concludes on a positive note with the track “Rare”, in which Stefani counts her blessings.