Following his debut album, Chew The Scenery, singer Oscar Lang released his sophomore album, Look Now, via Dirty Hit on July 21, 2023. Two years after his debut album, Oscar Lang returned with a new perspective and sound on romantic relationships and navigating breakups. Drawing from childhood memories and personal losses, Lang’s down-to-earth lyricism contrasts the album’s pop-fusion sounds.
Opening with slow, sad ballad, ‘A Song About Me’, Lang invites listeners into the melancholic atmosphere of Look Now. The simple indie-pop track details Lang’s feelings towards an ex from his youth: “Now you ask me how am I feeling / Now I feel cut in half / I’ve become another person.” Influenced by Sara Bareilles’ ‘Love Song’ and Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain,’ the self-awareness of the track shines yet it misses the bold emotional contrasts of Bareilles and Simon.
Leaning into the familiarity of synth-pop, ‘Crawl’ sticks out on the album as a catchy, whimsical melody to take listeners away from heavier topics. Over the cheery piano, Lang sings: “You’re getting left behind / You told me it was fine / Could I be the answer to all of your questions?” Following this upbeat nature, Lang continues with ‘Blow Ur Cash.’ On the high-pitched pop track, retail therapy seems to be the answers to Lang’s anxieties and recklessness. With lyrics such as, “Blow your cash on somethin’ nice / Spend your money, ’cause we ain’t got that much time,” Lang’s relatability allows for further connection with audiences.
Continuing with the piano, tracks ‘Take Me Apart’ and ‘On God’ embody the album’s delicate nature. Specifically, ‘On God’ is a heart-wrenching song reflecting on the loss of Lang’s mother as a child. Expressing the vastness of anxiety and loss, orchestral swells complement Lang’s heartbroken vocals: “I know you’re gone but I still feel you there / Some people believe, some people are scared / Some wanna know where they go.”
Look Now closes with a drum machine paired with the piano, ‘When You Were A Child’, dedicated to his late mother. Through the somber lyricism and a feature from Molly Payton, the track gains a new sense of grief on growing older. “Now you’re gone and the memory fades away,” the duo sings in a simple yet emotional tone. Oscar Lang’s Look Now centers more around loss and growing up rather than what its intended heartbreak theme. Altogether, the album serves as a reflection of Lang’s personal losses embodied by swelling instrumentals, delicate vocals, and honesty.
