by Olivia Rosenberg
On April 12, Maggie Rogers dropped her latest album, Don’t Forget Me. The 36-minute record is her shortest yet and was written in its entirety in only five days. The album is a balanced blend of indie pop, rock, and folk, with tight production and story-infused lyrics acting as the standout.
Rogers came on the scene in 2016 when a video of her showing Pharrell Williams one of her songs in a music production course went viral. At the time, Rogers was a senior studying music engineering and production at New York University.
Since then, Rogers has released two studio albums as well as compilation album and graduated with a master’s degree in religion and public life from Harvard University. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Now, two years since her last release, Don’t Forget Me showcases Rogers with her strongest direction yet. The album opens brightly with “It Was All Coming Along,” riddled with a strong drum line and some fun 80s synth. The chorus makes for an exciting opener, setting up for a harmonically satisfying half hour of music.
The next stand out for me is “So Sick of Dreaming,” which was originally released as a single in March. The cheery guitar and lyrical patterns are most reminiscent of her older material, with an added element of what can only be described as country twang.
“The Kill” is the track on the record that has grown on me the most. The persistent picked strings in the verse build up to a satisfying chorus. Fans of Haim will enjoy this one. “On & On & On” is Rogers’ most poppy track, while “Drunk” sounds like it could belong on her last album, Surrender. For fans of her first album, Heard It in a Past Life, “Never Going Home” is for you. “If Now Was Then” is an outward cry from Rogers that would make for a great belter in the car. Rogers slows it down a few times in this album with the heartbreaking “I Still Do” and “All the Same” with lyrics that cut deep into the soul.
Don’t Forget Me has Rogers’ clearest vision compared to her past work, with standout singles and strong supporting tracks. My only wish is that it was longer with more to digest. Adding another success like Don’t Forget Me to an already stand-out discography ensures that Maggie Rogers will not be forgotten.
