Different Talking

Don’t let her sweetness fool you: Frankie Cosmos’ Greta Kline has more insights about the inner struggles of sensitive young people than most of her indie-pop peers. Or, hey, do let it fool you—getting fooled is part of what being young is about. “I think it’s funny not to learn my lesson/And keep on acting like I’m 27,” she sings from her perch of infinite wisdom at age 31 (“Porcelain”), having confessed two minutes earlier, “I can’t go a day without touching my fucking telephone” (“Bitch Heart”). The music is more sophisticated than her 2010s K Records-style scrawls (listen to the ’70s soft-pop of “Vanity”) but never so sophisticated it gets in the way of her lyrics, which hit like little pinpricks. If it’s true, why make it more complicated?

'Different Talking' is another solid if slightly monotonous showcase of Frankie Cosmos' brisk, pleasant brand of indie-pop, only occasionally doling out flashes of wit and unexpected stylistic flourishes.

A warm blanket of bedroom pop vignettes, Frankie Cosmos's sixth album is comforting but hesitates to experiment.