Recommended Tracks: “Beaches,” “Real Man,” “Girl Song”
Artists You Might Like: Clairo, Phoebe Bridgers, Laufey
We’ve all got growing pains. We embrace a bittersweet heartache that stems from the struggle to accept our own flaws. None of it’s easy when embracing a side of yourself you’ve yet to face. Filipino-English indie singer-songwriter Beatrice Laus, who goes by the moniker beabadoobee, strives for a sweet yet arresting confidence in her third studio album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, released through Dirty Hit.
After exploring the inner workings of shoegaze music on her previous records — Fake it Flowers (2020) and Beatopia (2022) — Laus unapologetically bares her soul on This Is How Tomorrow Moves. Drawing inspiration from 1990s and 2000s indie sounds, Laus infuses her music with brightness and boldness, breaking the barriers between youthful angst and the journey of becoming a woman. The 24-year-old dives into the hard-hitting and sometimes painful realizations of being an adult.
With the first pluck of the guitar string on “Take A Bite,” Laus invites us into a world that seamlessly bridges the gap between 1990s and 2000s indie-pop and contemporary alternative rock — a sound that permeates This Is How Tomorrow Moves. It’s exactly what you’d hear in an early 2000s teen flick, as Laus embraces the chaos after grappling with her past mistakes on her earlier albums. Now, she’s acknowledging that she might be at fault, which is a big step for Laus (“I think that I like to sit and wonder / Through the night, I think I might / Wanna do it all over again.” It leads right into the sun-soaked West Coast vibes of the next track, “California”).
The album highlight, “Real Man,” has been long awaited for some time now, and it truly lives up to expectations in all of its glory on This Is How Tomorrow Moves. In this track, she explores themes of disappointment and disillusionment within a relationship, all while infusing the lyrics with a certain humor that reflects her frustration with unmet expectations (“And I already told you I just wanted to dance / Could you see me standing out here with my outstretched hand / guess no one ever taught you how to be a real man”). The track channels a playful FionaApple-esque vibe, as Laus blames the shortcomings of her partner on the lack of someone educating him on how a man is supposed to behave.
Laus leans on her featherlite musicality with tracks like “Tie My Shoes” and “Girl Song.” in “Tie My Shoes,” she expresses her frustrations with a distant father figure, letting her soft vocalizations carry the emotional weight of the track. The tender delivery uniquely contrasts with her deep-seated feelings of disappointment. Then, in “Girl Song,” Laus swaps her guitar for a bright piano, creating a beautifully ethereal atmosphere. While her voice remains delicate, she’s as self-assured as ever, even as she shares her insecurities about her appearance and personal identity (“Waking up to hardly recognizing my own face / Just a stranger in the mirror thinking, oh, what a shame”). Songs like these where Laus navigates complex emotions solidify her growth as a self-assured and confident artist.
Laus continues her sonic exploration with the bossa nova-inspired “Coming Home,” where she maintains her introspective lyricism. In this track, she explains how she feels guilty about frequently being away, acknowledging the strain it puts on her relationship. However, she holds onto some hope, believing they can make it work regardless, as she sings, “I’m not sorry ’cause this time I won’t be late.” As for “Ever Seen,” transitions from what was originally a country tune into a starry-eyed indie-pop track. It brings a dreamy quality to the song, blending Laus’ heartfelt storytelling with a more upbeat and expansive sound that defines This Is How Tomorrow Moves (“‘Cause I spent some time waiting for your face / Don’t want to risk just making all the same mistakes”).
In “Post,” Laus reintroduces an intriguing indie rock beat, which features a thrashing chorus and intense verses that bring raw energy to the album. She contrasts the experiences of herself and her partner: one feels worn out and exhausted, while the other becomes disillusioned after a partner fails to reciprocate certain expectations. Regardless, she captures the intensity, singing, “And all I wanted the most / Was to see your name on the post.” However, it’s the beautiful “Beaches” that stands out as a highlight of This Is How Tomorrow Moves for Laus’ sweet vocals and the shining lyrics. The latest single off the album captures a sense of calm and clarity as she reflects on finding herself in “the right beaches.” In the chorus, she sings, “‘Cause days blend to one when I’m on the right beaches / And the walls painted white, they tell me all the secrets,” showing her desire to act and live in the present, rather than waiting for the perfect moment.
There comes a time when all good things must come to an end. In the final moments of the album, Laus finds something special, magical even in “Everything I Want,” where she finds hope amidst the chaos. But it’s in “The Man Who Left Too Soon” where Laus delves into deeper emotions, conveying a sense of loss and nostalgia for someone who left her life prematurely. “The sadness is only temporary,” she muses, as she expresses how grateful she is for the time they shared. Still, she finds a connection within those lost moments and memories (“The irony of looking up to something / Or even just somebody / Can’t put the face onto the name that I don’t even know”). The album concludes with the sentimental “This Is How It Went,” where Laus tries to find the right words to process her feelings in this Elliot Smith-inspired track that feels like the perfect conclusion to the album. It leaves listeners with a sense of understanding and resolution as the song ties together the album’s themes of growth, loss and human connection.
In an explorative third album, beabadoobee wears her heart on her sleeve in the best way possible, ruminating over has-beens and moving on to find self-assurance. This project stands as her most raw and confident work to date, showcasing her ability to channel and balance 1990s indie influences with introspective guitar ballads, which makes her a formidable presence in the indie pop genre. With this 14-track album, beabadoobee leaves listeners with a sense of assurance as she embraces her “growth” journey with confidence. Ultimately, she shows us that life’s complexities are all about This Is How Tomorrow Moves.
beabadoobee will embark on the 12-date This Is How Tomorrow Moves Tour across North America to support the new album. She will be joined by the indie band HOWDY as the supporting act.
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