In the opening track, Mary Janes, off her newest album, Florescence, Maisie Peters defiantly and confidently states, “I’m not the coolest or the greatest in the club / It doesn’t matter, oh, man, anymore / Who gives a fuck, cause I’m in love.” Peters has historically used the first tracks on her albums as a time-stamp for her life during the writing process and a thesis statement for the project as a whole. In this case, it may reflect internal messaging related to the singer throughout her creative process, but it doesn’t accurately summarise the album. It doesn’t have the caution to the wind, let your hair down feel she’s evoking here—she certainly cares, if not about being “the coolest or the greatest in the club”, at least being in it.  

At times, the album can feel so softened that it veers into a sameness. If You Let Me with Marcus Mumford, whilst pretty, proves brittle and not very eye-catching in its repetitive melodies. It’s a risk run with the acoustic-forward instrumentals. You Then Me Now reaches slightly further, with its catchier melody, and interesting hook, but the verses, once more, are resigned to a familiarity which lends itself to a feeling of forgetfulness. 

Contrastingly, when Peters diverts from this sameness, Florescence is shining. Houses and Flat-Earther are creative reimaginings of love lost—the latter being a conspiratorial exploration of her ex-love “you were in love with me, it’s my favourite conspiracy”, and the former manifesting a future for the same villainous partner: “I can see it, like a nightmare, like a vision, the houses my old lovers will live in.” These lyrical concerns are so interesting that the light guitar and strings in the background are truly enough—perhaps more beneficial than the instrument-heaviness of other tracks. It makes me hopeful for the progression of Peters’ songwriting. Houses also asks a really interesting question: can we overcome heartbreak by looking at an alternate reality? It seems we can; this is a truly vitriolic song, which makes for such vivid music. It doesn’t feel sad as much as it feels thankful, but also equally foreboding and despondent in its slow, bass-less heaviness. 

Flat-Earther transcends the understated anger of losing love, but its conspiratorial undertone feels new and its writing makes for a fascinating vision of heartbreak. Similarly, Kingmaker with Julia Michaels cements itself as Maisie Peters required listening—certainly a peak in her songwriting, coupled with a catchy melody and a fierce hook. Its acoustic and simple sound meant that the song's viciousness was indulged to a deeper extent, and the feverish wordiness plays into a dimmed psychosis.  

Girl’s Just Flying joins Peters’ friendly club of songs for young women who are feeling free and over heartbreak! It’s a pretty specific genre that Peters seems to ace every time (think, There It Goes or Brooklyn) but Girl’s Just Flying has such a fun and light aura, definitely a step forward musically from the times of its potential sister-songs. Certainly a new concert classic. In the same vein, I’m especially drawn to Vampire Time, with a country twang and a violin moment! It feels like a narrative variation of a familiar love song; wondering if they think about you when you’re not there, but now wondering if they have been thinking about you with the nostalgia of youth and growing up together. The lyrical drive is once again based in a fictional landscape 

Peters has certainly constructed an album with distinct sonic cohesion, but I wouldn’t necessarily say Florescence is anything new. Her previous effort The Good Witch saw a similar focus in a more pop-rock vein. What I think is more impressive is the fact that this album feels like such a 180 from the adolescent anger of The Good Witch, and actually retains interest and provides a variation in her discography. It sounds at once like old-Maisie and a new iteration of her altogether. With some slower portions being made up for by the titillating tales of heartbreak and heart-formation, Peters has constructed an album that is perfect for the girls who do, in fact, care.

Maybe a little less than before, but the importance of each event in their life is still evident. Most importantly—Peters has stuck her foot in the door of the pop-club she so claims to disregard. Even if, in truth, she does neglect the popverse now, she may need to open her heart back up. Florescence speaks to an artist with the clarity and the leverage to keep outperforming and moving forward, to continue to blossom.