By: Mikey Kennedy
Pop singer Amber Mark explores heartbreak, self-love, and new beginnings in her second full-length studio album Pretty Idea.
In her hit debut album Three Dimensions Deep, Mark dug deep into themes of existentialism, exploring our role in the universe and trying to find the answer to the question “What are we doing here?” This time, Mark keeps it personal, turning the mirror onto herself as she reflects on the transformative experiences in her life.
Pretty Idea chronicles Mark’s experience leaving a long-term relationship and having to rediscover herself. Mark said the project was full of “many highs and lows and lessons I didn’t know I needed,” and was a way to “turn bad ideas into pretty ones.”
While Mark is definitely leaning more into the pop sound with Pretty Idea, she has an insane musical range and it is all on display. From soulful R&B to disco-pop to jazzfunk, there’s something for everyone on this record.
The record opens with By the End of the Night, an incredible track about getting over an ex with addictive 70s disco synths and hypnotic vocals that are guaranteed to make you want to get up and dance.
Later comes Sweet Serotonin, the lead single for the record with an Amy Winehouse feel, which perfectly encapsulates the exciting feeling of the butterflies you get in your stomach with a new crush. It’s soulful, smooth, and authentic.
Too Much comes next, a bittersweet story about an on-again-off-again lover who isn’t as into you as you are them. Mark gives the track a layered sense of nostalgia with a nod to Usher and Alicia Keys’ 2004 hit “My Boo” before opening up about the dreams she had with her partner, “I had the dreams of the biggest diamond, a king-size bed we never lied in.”
The 70s influence continues into the back half of the album with Cherry Reds. Over a laid-back, nostalgia-inducing acoustic track, Mark details the scene of a young summer romance. Pretty Idea is a carefully constructed story of heartbreak and acceptance, and Cherry Reds comes before the album takes a rather bitter turn, perhaps a way for Mark to reminisce on her past before confronting the unpleasant comedown during a breakup.
Don’t Remind Me is a raw and absolutely stunning duet with Anderson .Paak. They leave it all on this track, opening with “Baby, you made a waste of me though you never meant to,” and a mantra of “I’ve been getting fucked up nightly, anything that don’t remind me,” on repeat as the song continues. We’ve all been where Mark was during this song, feeling like our world has been shattered and even the smallest reminder of our lost love feels like a knife to the gut, and the vulnerable nature of the track makes it one of the most relatable on the album. Despite the upbeat production, Don’t Remind Me is the lyrical rock bottom on Pretty Idea.
Mark quickly changes her tune, though, as Different Places featuring John the Blind explores post-breakup introspection and healing. Pretty Idea is a journey, and naturally, acceptance and healing is the next step.
The title track and closer for the record is melancholic as Mark accepts that the relationship is over and reflects on her potential wrongdoings throughout it. She reminisces on what could have been, but doesn’t linger for too long before she looks towards her future.
Pretty Idea is perfect for getting ready with your girls, dance-crying in the club or, as Mark recommends, contemplative walks through the city.
Mark has proven herself as a promising R&B-pop artist to pay attention to with this record. Her dynamic musical talent leaves you wondering where she’ll go next. Under the polished and captivating production is a raw story of personal growth and acceptance that makes Pretty Idea a vulnerable testament to an all-too-familiar experience for everyone.
Listen to Pretty Ideahere.