By Lexi Lane
Alternative pop artist Jillian Banks – better known by her moniker and stage name Banks – dropped her second LP titled “The Altar” on Sep. 30.
Teaming up with the same producers from her debut “Goddess,” Banks, along with Tim Anderson and Al Shux, created an all-around brilliant record.
“Gemini Feed,” one of the singles used ahead of the album’s release, kicks off The Altar with a bang. The song shows off her tougher, self-sufficient side and draws the album’s name from the chorus’ lines, “And to think you would get me to the altar…” as it’s backed by an electropop beat. The title of the song also draws inspiration from her zodiac sign – Gemini – as well as the lyric “you and me together, we were Gemini feed.”
Combining her haunting vocals in the verses with a creative, tongue-in-cheek hook, “Weaker Girl” proves as a track that Banks is anything but what the title of the song suggests – especially expressed with the lyrics.
Showing her softer side and range, “To The Hilt” is a song that stands out from the rest of the album with its slowed down nature and somber lyrics. The track is beautifully written and produced.
Although, a personal, as well as fan favorite, “Judas” draws inspiration from religious and regal themes (“put you on a pedestal and sat you on the throne”) as well as references to several songs from her debut (“begging me for thread, I think you need a change of brain.”).
The album, as a whole, provides a lyrical insight to Banks’s personal life and has cemented itself as a measure of her growth, breathy vocal talent, and creativity as a songwriter.
