Virgin Music Group
Release Date: May 17th 2024
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Kate Hudson– Glorious (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Gonna Find Out
- Fire
- The Nineties
- Live Forever
- Talk About Love
- Love Ain’t Easy
- Romeo
- Never Made A Moment
- Lying To Myself
- Not Easy To Know
- Glorious
- Touch the Light
There’s so much I can say about Kate Hudson. But it isn’t about Kate the singer or Kate the songwriter or Kate the performer. Kate is a well accomplished actress- just take a look at her filmography, and she is well known for films like Almost Famous, Knives Out, Music, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Raising Helen and Nine to name a few. She’s well known for her romantic comedies, and she’s relatable and relevant to many women who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s. But as a musician… well I didn’t even know that Kate was interested in music nor even in the midst or writing and recording a debut album until in February this year when the lead single “Talk About Love” released. But that’s the thing about COVID-19. It forces you to stay inside in your bubble, and then forces you to be introspective. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Kate decided that it was time to record an album- and the lead single (which has now morphed into this debut album of Glorious) was the first piece of that puzzle that just dropped this past week. And will this result in album number 2? Is Kate pivoting into music and abandoning acting? While many critics wonder whether this is a legit thing or not and whether “Talk About Love” is impressive or boring; let’s hear from Kate herself about the song-writing process and her headspace when going into this song and upcoming album.
“Talk About Love”, the track I gravitate to right off the bat, is song #5, and is an 80’s, synth driven and electro-pop melody similar musically to Fleetwood Mac and Mandy Moore from Silver Landings onwards. Kate’s song isn’t your straight up pop- it’s more alternative with an edge, and I’m glad it’s not like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Sabrina Carpenter, Demi Lovato, Ava Max, Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, Tate McRae and others. I know, these artists probably do have their place and their fans in the music industry at the moment. However, “Talk About Love” with a throwback 80’s sound is way more interesting, and with this track just generally being a very poppy song, a very optimistic song lyrically; there’s the sense of charm and innocence and just likeability about this melody and about Kate. Kate sings about letting your hair down and not being so uptight, and just living life in the moment because you can sometimes get in your head when you focus too much on the past or the future. And though that might sound hedonistic at first, what Kate sings about in this track is actually true. We don’t know that tomorrow for us is even promised. Dwelling on the past too much isn’t healthy at all either. And so, living in the moment, not in a ‘sow-your-wild-oats’ kind of way, but in a determined, meaningful, and purposeful way (which is what I reckon Kate suggests anyway, as she talks about love in general, for her family, for her friends, and for the human race); is what is needed and is what has encouraged her. Perhaps I’m reading too much into this song. Maybe it is a pop song that isn’t about anything much. But the fact that this melody can be read in so many levels is judos to Kate for being ‘vague’ and also ‘intentional’ enough for be interesting and to allow us all to read whatever we want to on any particular song. It’s a skill, and a real good skill to have.
The rest of Glorious is in fact… gloriously powerful and by far the crowning achievement in terms of most impacting album of the year so far. It’s an unexpected ride but one I’m definitely most welcoming. Opening with the sassy, fun, flirty and passionate “Gonna Find Out”, we can see instantly that this is a folk/rock album with a bit of pop sprinkled in, as Kate assures us that she means business, and that she is here to stay, as she sings about the things that are near and dear to her heart. “Gonna Find Out” is a rock tune at core, about the persona wanting connection on a physical level yet also a soul level as well- and this feisty and spirited track ticks all of the boxes of what is incredibly poignant and impacting about a Kate Hudson song. It’s bold, fearless, unashamed, and super catchy. With this melody imparting to us a sense of wonderment at the world and questioning about whether the persona’s partner/lover is a match for them or not, this song speaks to the core of what humans are all about. We’re all about connection, and we’d do anything to find it, in all sorts of places. “Fire”, a country-esque melody akin to something Shania Twain would record, speaks about a love gone sour, and Kate-as-the-persona quelling the love as there’s a ‘fire’ that has gone cold for one reason or another while the subdued electric guitar prominent ballad “The Nineties”, is a personal highlight, as she directs the hard-hitting and no-holds-barred anthem at critics and haters who are gunning for her for no apparent reason, as she fervently concludes that even though she was a product of the 90’s, she’s doing her best, and that everyone else should stay in their lane and she stay in hers, and that no one should tear down another just for fun. It’s a ‘protest’ song and a song I don’t really expect from someone in their debut album. But as Kate has been in the entertainment industry for so long, and as she has imparted all that she has known and all of her wisdom into this melody of emotion and feeling, the result is an honest anthem about being your own individual person and not bending backwards or compromising for anyone.
“Live Forever”, a tear-jerker of a piano and acoustic guitar ballad, speaks about Kate’s unbreakable bond and love for her children (again an album highlight, and a track to be repeated!) while the country/rock-esque “Love Ain’t Easy” highlights the ups and downs of love in all of its facets and complications, with Kate lamenting about the fact that sometimes, love isn’t enough for relationships (romantic and platonic!) to survive and thrive- a fact of life that sometimes we ignore, but need to accept in order to be present in the moment and be grateful for new and sustaining relationships as they arise and continue in our lives. Kate also concludes that she will wait for the other person to sort out their stuff- which is commendable and applaudable, and something we all should do more of- be patient and kind and non-judgemental. “Romeo”, a 70’s and 80’s inspired rocker, is a sweet and modern take on what makes a man (or person) a candidacy for being a potential partner- Kate lists off all of her admirable attributes in a man, and you can’t help but smile at this semi-satirical piece for being so bold and unflappable. “Never Made A Moment”, a personal acoustic guitar led ballad, speaks about the importance of family and has Kate honouring and paying homage and tribute to her family, friends, roots and the things that made her, her; as she also sings about the sum of all of her parts, and how they’re all equally important in shaping her to who she is today. Also in keeping with the theme of honesty, “Lying To Myself” speaks about needing that space to know exactly what you want, and is where Kate admits that she seems stifled by a person who she believes to be ‘too much’ and she needs space from that person for perspective- and this admission is quite admirable and is something that people don’t so often, as sometimes we ‘grin and bear’ a situation when all we need to do is just to speak up and speak out.
“Not Easy To Know”, a vulnerable and emotional piano led country-style ballad, dives deep into Kate’s fears, hopes, dreams and vulnerabilities, where she also hopefully expresses that she’s trying to be the person everyone expects her to be, while also being her own person- a feat that is sometimes overwhelming and suffocating- a track about mental health and trying to appear to be ok when she sometimes isn’t, is a song that I’m sure may be hard to hear for some, but undoubtedly healing for others. The title track follows, and is the magnum opus of the entire album, as Kate vocally excels beyond what I reckon we could ever imagine, lamenting on a lost love and singing from her heart about the good times and the glorious times- kind of a therapeutic, cathartic, and spiritual experience. Glorious then ends with “Touch The Light”, another powerful melody about holding the ones you love close, and trying to reconnect with people with whom you may have lost contact with, but also wishing them well. As Kate also mentions, the song is about the end of the recording process for this album too!: It’s what this process was like for me. It’s reaching for the things that move you and bring light into your life. It’s an upward motion. It’s like the light is up there and in your dream. It’s what heals us. It could be considered a sort of religious thing, but I think of it more as an energy. When you can touch the light, you become one in it. That imagery for me is when we heal through things and move through things — you’ve got to just keep walking toward the light. I remember when I wrote that final song, there was no structure to it. But I realized it was an important song and I was like, I can’t mess this up. For me, that translates to building the live experience musically and incorporating some of my heroes into these things.
At the start of Kate Hudson’s announcement of her debut album Glorious, I was intrigued, and eagerly I anticipated this project. Now… I think I’m a lifelong fan, as Glorious in my honest opinion, is faultless and flawless- the calibre of a veteran. I don’t know how Kate did it. But she defied the odds, silenced the critics, and created a masterpiece. In truth, we all weren’t expecting it. Many actors have tried their hand at music. Many singers have tried their hand at acting. Many try to do both. Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Sabrina Carpenter. Sofia Carson. Jeremy Renner. Dennis Quaid. Kevin Costner. Jack Black as front man of Tenacious D. And now, let’s add Kate Hudson to the list; and let us hope and pray that whatever Kate does next (another album, tour, more acting opportunities, writing a musical, performing on Broadway) is just as engaging and just as powerful as this deeply personal, and highly impressive batch of debut songs. An actor baring their soul in the studio is a big risk. Yet this time, it has worked, as Glorious is indeed more glorious than anything we could conjure up. The risk Kate weighed up and took, is worth it in spades!
4 songs to listen to: The Nineties, Talk About Love, Never Made A Moment, Glorious
Score: 5/5
RIYL: Fleetwood Mac, Mandy Moore, Sara Bareilles, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Elton John, James Taylor