TRACK REVIEW: Billie Eilish - No Time to Die

TRACK REVIEW:

Billie Eilish

IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Eilish in 2018/PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Hassett for PAPER

No Time to Die

9.5/10

The track, No Time to Die, is available from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB_S2qFh5lU

GENRE:

Alternative Pop

ORIGIN:

Los Angeles, U.S.A.

RELEASE DATE:

14th February, 2020

LABELS:

Darkroom/Interscope Records

WRITTEN BY:

Billie Eilish/Finneas O'Connell

PRODUCED BY:

Finneas O'Connell/Stephen Lipson

The film, No Time to Die, is in cinemas from 3rd April (U.K.):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5SxyQ-9YDA

__________

EVEN though I reviewed Billie Eilish…

PHOTO CREDIT: Harley Weir for Vogue, March 2020

around this time last year, I feel it is worth returning as, since then, a lot has happened! She has just released the theme to the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die. The song of the same name is here, and it is gaining a lot of love! I will talk about James Bond and the themes; I also want to address Eilish as a modern Pop sensation and how people need to give her space – also, I want to look at artists and personalities that seduce; a bit about women in music and why Eilish is a born headliner. One is not supposed to quote other reviews when it comes to something like this, as it takes away from your opinion and, yeah, is not often done. People do not review singles these days but, as it is a special occasion, some have. I want to bring in a few reviews to show what people are saying and, with one of music’s most prestigious and toughest gigs at her feet – composing the Bond theme -, how Eilish’s effort is being assessed. This is how The Guardian judged Eilish’s efforts:

“Like her cover of Yesterday at the Oscars ceremony, No Time to Die sees Eilish taking a respectful approach. There’s a sense that this may all be part of a concerted effort to broaden her appeal to more mature audiences. It’s a moot point whether such an effort is really necessary – her multi-platinum debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? won praise from quarters that don’t ordinarily take much interest in music that appeals to teenage girls – but either way, the glitchy electronics of that record have vanished here, replaced by tasteful orchestration and nods to Bond tunes past.

There’s a vague hint of the opening of Diamonds Are Forever about the intro, an interpolation from Monty Norman’s James Bond theme and a guitar part that carries a distinct echo of Vic Flick’s iconic twang. Yet Eilish has stamped her own identity on the song. The tendency for vocalists tackling a Bond theme is to belt it out, as if in homage to the most famous Bond singer of the lot: Shirley Bassey is known for many things, but subtle understatement isn’t among them. Eilish, however, opts for her standard close-mic approach in which surliness does battle with vulnerability.

It fits what she’s singing. The days when the lyrics of Bond themes invariably came laden with woeful double-entendres pertaining to the hero’s sexual prowess are long gone. (It reached a deranged pinnacle on 1974’s The Man With the Golden Gun, which required Lulu to note “he has a powerful weapon” before wondering, “Who will he bang?”) More recently, the lyrics of Bond themes have occasionally tended to the baffling – the question of what on earth Adele is rattling on about hangs heavy over the otherwise great Skyfall.

No Time to Die, however, smartly refracts the Daniel Craig depiction of Bond – dark, solitary and tormented beneath the cool exterior – through Eilish’s signature brand of teen angst: “I should have known I’d leave alone – it just goes to show that the blood you bleed is just the blood you own.” What 007 himself would make of it is an intriguing question, but No Time to Die is a confident, appealing addition to the Bond theme canon”.

Reacting to the buzz and electricity around No Time to Die’s theme song, this is what the BBC wrote in their review:

“Eilish wrote and produced the title song with her elder brother Finneas O'Connell late last year. Speaking at the Grammys in January, she said working on the franchise had always been one of their goals.

"Subconsciously and consciously, we've been trying to write a Bond theme for our whole lives," she told E! News.

Shrewdly, the duo retain their dark, off-kilter style throughout the song, while incorporating several of the film series' musical touchstones - swelling strings, discordant brass, and, best of all, it finishes with the distinctive minor 9th chord that closes out Monty Norman's original Bond theme.

Lyrically, they touch upon the psychological toll of 007's licence to kill, with the observation: "The blood you bleed is just the blood you own".

But the song is very much about a romantic betrayal. "Was I stupid to love you? / Was I reckless to help?" asks Eilish in the bridge.

The musician is known for her intimate, designed-for-headphone vocal style, but she rises to the challenge of the song's soaring climax, with her early vulnerability transforming into strength and resolve.

It's easily the most audacious and atmospheric take on the Bond theme in living memory”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Eilish photographed at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA

So far, the reviews have been glowing. I am reviewing the song after a few listens, and I think a lot of people have reacted after the first listen. I feel the track grows stronger the more you listen but, when The Independent heard the song, this is what they thought:

But “No Time to Die” is a song that proves Eilish has a versatility that extends beyond the ghostly, ASMR-lite electronic sound of her debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?. She pushes her vocals further here than on anything she’s previously released – while she begins in her trademark style (something between a mutter and a quavering wail), she hits an impressive belt at the song’s climax.

The song is gratifyingly subtle compared to the try-hard nature of Sam Smith’s effort, “Writing’s on the Wall”, which threw every Bond trope they could think of at the wall in the hope that something would stick. It’s not as good as “Skyfall” (some would argue Adele’s indecipherable lyrics bring the song down), although the two share similar elements, such as a move from stark piano into tense, shivery orchestration.

The lyrics, meanwhile, cleverly play on Craig’s portrayal of 007, which has increasingly delved into the more toxic side of Ian Fleming’s character – Bond’s tendency to isolate himself, and how his cold, almost cruel treatment of those closest to him stems from a fear of placing them in danger. “I’d fallen for a lie,” she sings, “You were never on my side/ Fool me once, fool me twice/ Are you death or paradise?/ Now you'll never see me cry.” “No Time to Die” is by no means a bad song, in fact, it’s one of the better Bond themes we’ve had in some time.

I have brought in other reviews for two reasons. For one, the Bond theme is this esteemed and precious thing that is almost more important than the themes themselves. Everyone has their own opinions regarding what constitutes a classic Bond theme but, appropriately, I want to chat about the Bond theme legacy and how Eilish fits in.

Most people think the all-time best Bond themes are those that have belt and drama. Think of efforts by Shirley Bassey for Goldfinger and Paul McCartney & Wings’ Live and Let Die – these race and have all the excitement one would expect from a Bond theme. That said, not every Bond theme with energy and swell wows critics. Madonna’s theme for Die Another Day and Sheryl Crow’s excellent Tomorrow Never Dies were panned, but I think both are underrated – especially Crow’s effort. You can tell from the songs I have quoted that the word ‘die’ is a common theme and, through the years, the 007 spy has claimed more than his fair share of lives – and hearts for that matter! I think Bond has become darker and more serious as time has progressed. Yes, there are still the same cheesy jokes, the fast cars and women who fall under his spell, but the franchise has become tougher and less reliant on that classic image we have of Bond. Because of that, the Bond theme has had to adapt and reflect the modern Bond. I think Eilish’s theme fits perfectly with Daniel Craig’s portrayal as a more troubled and no-nonsense Bond. By the time this review is published (15th January), a lot of the early heat will have died down and it gives people a chance to hear the track again. I think No Time to Die is a great song that is not as rapturous as the very best Bond themes, but it is the best effort we have seen in many years – which seems to be the consensus among fans and critics. There is a lot of snobbishness concerning the Bond theme. Many want that epic sound that the likes of Shirley Bassey provided but, as the character has evolved through the years, it would be jarring having a big showy number. That is not to say Bond has become a house cat or lost his wit and cool. I think the biggest development through the years has been great, and it has brought James Bond to a whole new audience.

I think Eilish was a great choice to compose the Bond theme, as her music suits the new Bond; she can write a ballad that is very smart and cool – and it has plenty of nuance and arresting moments. Billie Eilish is barely eighteen; composing the Bond theme is a big honour – one that is richly deserved. I shall come back to Bond when reviewing the track, but I want to spend some time with Eilish. I am going to bring in a few interviews involving Billie Eilish because I think it gives her music context and, like all my reviews, I focus on the artist as much as I spotlight the actual song itself – a few paragraphs is not fitting for a huge artist who has a very bright and long future. Think of all the accolades Eilish has already accrued: Eilish's debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019), debuted atop the Billboard 200 and became the best-performing album of 2019 in the U.S. It also reached number-one in the U.K. Her accolades also include five Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards; two Guinness World Records, and three MTV Video Music Awards. She is the youngest person and first woman to win the four main Grammy categories: Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year in the same year. There are Pop superstars like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Charli XCX, but Eilish is younger than then, and she has only released one album – and is already considered an icon and legend of the future. It is scary to think how far she can go and, whilst I have dismissed the notion that we will see icons like Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince again, is Eilish the modern times’ best shot? Certainly, she has already accomplished a huge amount, and I think this golden streak will continue. Eilish has a very cool and mature head on her shoulders; she is laidback and funny in interviews, so one knows she will not get too ahead of herself and take her time when it comes to her second album.

I have written a feature about Eilish recently, begging people to give her space and time to relax this year. At a point in history where an artist can get their music out there instantly and can be made a superstar before they blink, there is a lot of expectation and passion at Eilish’s feet. It is wonderful to see, but I hope people do not push too far and allow Eilish opportunity to enjoy normal life for a bit because, if not, her career could take a different turn and the pressure could get to her. I want to bring in the first of two interviews in this section that shows how Eilish is coping with social media and expectation – and how grounded she is. Early last year, NME sat down with Eilish at a time when she was blossoming but hadn’t become the much bigger star she is today:

“She’s a teen – she’s meant to be rebellious – but Billie has an endearing ‘fuck you’ attitude that only a handful of people can carry off. Want proof? After a long day of shooting, she’s been asked by US TV network NBC to film a spritely ‘Happy New Year’ message to be shown on their New Year’s Eve coverage. She tries and fails several times to nail the happy-go-lucky attitude the network wants. On the seventh try, she looks like she’s about to nail it. She reaches the end of the clip and blows a kiss to the camera to sign off, then immediately flips the bird directly to camera. Her mum, Maggie Baird, who’s been with us all day, is exasperated – the clip is useless. “You need to leave a beat at the end of the clip for them to edit away,” she tells Billie. “I did,” Billie replies. “This is my beat” – and she throws up the middle finger once more.

Billie grew up in Highland Park, an LA neighbourhood 30-minutes away from The Graceland Inn, West Hollywood, where NME’s shoot is held. When not on the road, she still lives there with her older brother Finneas, who co-writes and produces Billie’s material and has had acting roles in TV shows such as Glee in the past. Her parents, Maggie Baird and Patrick O’Connell, also both actors, follow Billie on tour as much as they can.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ethan James Green for Vogue, March 2020

Her home, then, was her sanctuary – and her school. It’s the only place where she reckons she could have become the artist we meet today. “If I went to [public] school, no one would take me seriously and that’s terrifying to me,” she says. “There are so many people who come to my shows, who bring their art of me, or video edits and I’m thinking, ‘Why aren’t you an editor? Or, ‘Why aren’t you a fucking video director?’ It’s not an age thing for me; you can have these ideas at any age. There are geniuses everywhere,” she says.

Billie is smart and hyper-aware of the conversations happening around her. But in the age of social media, which has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember, trolls, abuse and misconceptions are rife. Does she spend a lot of time reading what’s said and written about you online?

“There’s an article online about me and if you look at the comments they say: ‘the industry is ruining her! It’s killing her! She has no spark in her eyes! Her smile is not as big!’ Come on…”

Billie’s aware of everything that’s going on in her comment sections – almost to a fault.“ I used to read every single comment and every picture I was tagged in and respond to every single DM, but now I barely go on Instagram because I can’t handle that shit,” she says. “Fuck that shit. I just don’t wanna see all the horrible things people say. I don’t wanna see that I should have died instead of this artist. It takes not looking at my phone to stop myself from engaging. I had to delete Twitter in March because of it. Nobody is going to win. If somebody said something to me in person, I’d beat their ass”.

Eilish could easily crumble under the pressure and fame that has come her way but, as one becomes aware of when reading interviews, she can play the game and realises that her music will attract some negativity and unkind feedback.

She does not glorify death or pain, but her songs can get quite dark and, at a time when mental-health is in the spotlight, a lot of people – parents especially – might take umbrage and wonder whether the artist is a good role model. Eilish is a teen herself, remember, so she knows all too well about what she writes. Here, in this recent interview with Vogue, we learn more about a complex but accessible star:

“While Eilish has been open about her depression, which first struck at around this time, she insists that her penchant for dark material preceded and has generally been independent of her mood. For years she liked to say that “Fingers Crossed”—inspired by an episode of The Walking Dead—was the first song she ever wrote, as part of a songwriting class that her mother taught for a group of homeschoolers. But recently she came across a cache of songs she wrote at 11, including one called “Why Not,” a melody built from the only five chords she knew. The lyrics of the song had a simple, morbid premise: If she killed herself, everything would be the same; the stars would still shine, the sun would still come out, the seasons would still change. So why not? Her friends loved it. “That was the song, at 11,” she says, scarcely believing it now. “And I was totally happy. I had never felt suicidal, and I didn’t want to feel that way, but I liked the idea of writing a song about something I didn’t know about.”

While Eilish has broken away from pop’s recent sights and sounds, she is also playing the game according to the rules of the streaming era. She had already hit the one-billion-streams mark before her first full-length album debuted, and the singles she released leading up to it came out of good, old-fashioned artist development: naturally heterogeneous, they were coordinated by her team to hit multiple playlists at once, gathering a bigger and more varied fan base. Eilish is not embarrassed to admit that she yearned for pop stardom—“I realize now that it’s everything I ever wanted,” she says. And of her surprise Grammys sweep, she tells me, "That shit was fucking crazy. If anything it's an exciting thing for the kids who make music in their bedroom. We're making progress, I think, in that place—kids who don't have enough money to use studios." For all of her alt cred, she is increasingly at ease in the mainstream”.

I have incorporated a lot of words from others and, soon enough, I will come to the latest release from Billie Eilish. Eilish is a very relatable artist and, as Pop artists are being accused of lacking authenticity and any sort of personality, I think Eilish is someone who contradicts that. She is very likeable and down to earth; she is savvy and writes exceptional music and, like all hugely popular artists, there is a certain expectation from the media, her fans, and her label. I do think Eilish will release a lot more albums and enjoy a career that lasts decades rather than years. One reason I say that is because Eilish has won a lot of praise because she is a rounded artist that anyone can appreciate. So many Pop artists are limited, or they have a very narrow demographic. Eilish is someone who writes music that is deep and accomplished, but there is a purity and directness that cuts to the core. Her songs hold much more weight and memorability than most of her peers’ work, and I think Eilish will only improve with age. It is important the industry does not drain Eilish, and we need to give her chance to unwind when she needs because, as we have seen in the past, artists can burn out and it is heartbreaking. Eilish is very mature, so I know she will be alright. I will come to No Time to Die, because it is the latest remarkable step from one of the most popular artists of our time. I will try not to repeat what other people have said; I have listened to No Time to Die a few times and, after each listen, new things reveal themselves. Eilish has penned one of the best Bond themes of the past couple of decades; a song that elicits so many different emotions.

PHOTO CREDIT: Harley Weir for Vogue, March 2020

At the time of writing this review – 14/02/2020 at 08:07 -, No Time to Die has been viewed 3,170,427 times, and 18,523 comments have been left. I would not be surprised if Eilish’s track broke ten-million views by the weekend! If Bond songs of old were renowned for their swooping start and brassy kick, instead, Billie Eilish’s No Time to Die begins with a moonlight, glacial stillness. There are beautiful notes that are soft and delicate; you get the impression of the heroine standing alone in the night, watching the moon and wondering what happened. It is a great way to start the song, because it builds and you get this real hit of emotion and feeling, rather than needless energy or something empty. In this song, I think Eilish gives one of her best vocal performances. It seems that our heroine has been deceived: “I should have known/I’d leave alone”. The vocal trembles and quivers slightly with emotion. There is hardly any backing composition, aside from some electronic notes and this spectral feeling. One gets pulled into a song that is haunting, I guess, but there is this passion and tenderness underneath. It is fascinating speculating as to the backstory, as Eilish sings “Just goes to show/That the blood you bleed is just the blood you owe” – a clever line that takes your imagination in a couple of different directions. There is a nice balance of lines that are direct and open, and those that are more oblique and curious. It is going to be interesting seeing how the title sequence looks, and how a slower song is translated into graphics and effects. There have been slower Bond songs before, but nothing quite like Eilish’s track. The track starts to build layers and brass comes in the background; a squall and slight cry from the brass gives the next lines extra gravitas and emotion – as Eilish says “We were a pair/But I saw you there/Too much to bear”.

One suspects that there is going to be a gear change and acceleration soon but, in the opening half, Eilish provides this very gentle-yet-strong vocal that is hard to resist. Some of her songs have been criticised for being too breathy with lyrics that are hard to decipher but, here, I think there is that clarity and a sharper vocal – maybe a lack of drama from the composition means Eilish can truly step into the spotlight and let her voice shine like never before. The first shift in gears comes at the 1:36 mark, where there is a new element to the composition; a stirring of guitar or electronics that takes us into a new phase. Before getting to that point, Eilish asks whether she was stupid to love the hero, and whether she was reckless to help – maybe this danger was obvious to others, but she was blind to it. The chorus is where Eilish’s voice becomes more animated and there is more activity from the composition. “That I’d fallen for a lie/You were never on my side” is Eilish/the heroine having been double-crossed and left. I love how there is a twinkle and a mixture of the ethereal and stern in the composition. In a way, Eilish unites the romance and mood of Adele’s Skyfall theme with the grace and stature of the classic Bond themes. Eilish ensures the song oozes with class, but she puts her own lyrical and vocal stamp on the theme – “Fool me once, fool me twice/Are you death of paradise? Now you’ll never see me cry/There’s just no time to die” is one of the best/smartest choruses we have heard from a Bond theme. Eilish is a fantastic writer, and I think she is perfectly suited to James Bond and themes of cat-and-mouse, heartache and being the sweetheart of a spy. With every Bond, the theme performer needs to reflect the personality and attributes of the spy. Daniel Craig has brought a lot to the role, and I think it is a perfect farewell for him – a swansong that tops all the other themes/films he has been involved with.

At 2:02 – when the chorus ends – we get a rumble from percussion and the strings arrive. Eilish has not forgotten the heritage of Bond themes, and ensures there is appropriate symphony, romance and stir. Rather than belt out a vocal and let all her emotions pour out, she is restrained and holds onto that dreamy vocal; ensuring her words are heard and hit the mark because of their nakedness. “I let it burn/You’re no longer my concern (mmm)” shows that, with a tougher section of the composition, the heroine has gathered strength and is now defiant and determined to move on. Rather than the singer indebted to Bond or singing this paen to his charms, Eilish has learned from the lies and knows that Bond/the hero cannot be trusted. The chorus has this waltz-like catchiness that allows Eilish’s voice to elicit so much emotion and impact. Whilst we never get the pomp and charge of a theme like Live and Let Die, here is a different take. The strings add appropriate shiver and power as Eilish, having been stung and led astray, is wiser, yet she seems to carry some scars and regrets. People are already ranking where Billie Eilish’s No Time to Die ranks in the golden cannon of Bond greats. I still have my favourite three, but I would put Eilish’s track in the top-ten – and would be shocked if it was omitted from anyone else’s. When No Time to Die comes to cinemas in April, we will get to see how Eilish’s theme works and what reaction it gets from cinema-goers. It is a beautiful title theme, and another brilliant revelation from a songwriter who, at eighteen, shows she has endless talent; someone who seems more accomplished and confident than any other artist out there.

This year is still pretty fresh, but Eilish has already won awards and released a song that has got so many people talking. Where does she go from here!? I think she will put out more material later in the year, but I would be surprised if we saw another album before next year. Maybe she wants to capitalise on the success she has already, but following up When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? will take time. That album received universal acclaim, and she won’t want to simply repeat that album. Eilish has gone from this teenager who was on the verge of releasing her first album, to a name that most people know. At her heart, she is the same rooted person, but I wonder whether future music will document the changes in her life and her new celebrity. Reading & Leeds have just released their line-up this year and, predictably, there were very few women on there! It calls into question (once more) whether the industry takes women seriously and, when there are so many talented female artists around, why they are being ignored. Billie Eilish played Glastonbury last year and produced a stonking set. I would be surprised if she was not asked back this year, and I think she has already earned the right to headline festivals. When people say there are no women strong enough to headline festivals, one only needs to look at Billie Eilish. She could headline any festival and is a live performer who has won huge respect. This is what Thomas Smith of NME had to say when he saw Eilish perform at Glastonbury last year:

“Billie has long been a live-force to reckon with. Even at her first ever shows in the UK at London’s Courtyard Theatre a couple years back – which she remembers fondly halfway through this set – she’s been a captivating performer for songs both loud and quiet. She lays flat on the stage for the twinkling ‘When I’m Older’ and for ‘Ocean Eyes’, she wants people to live in the moment: “Hold your phones down and look at me in the eye. We’ll never be in this moment ever again.”. Her ballads are just as impressive, too. ‘Wish You Were Gay’ is simply majestic and the swooning ‘Xanny’ is as addictive as they come.

In a matter of months, she’s transitioned from Instagram icon to pop sensation – and this almost certainly won’t be her last time at the festival. From what we’ve just witnessed, there’s every chance that she lands the top spot on the Pyramid eventually. “It’s like the whole world is looking at me right now,” she says mid-set, both excited and wistful. It’s hard to imagine anyone turning away from this spectacle now”.

Eilish is coming to the U.K. in the summer, and there is going to be a lot of people desperate to see her perform. I wanted to write a fulsome review, because No Time to Die is part of a wider narrative; a side to a very intriguing and special artist who is inspiring others. I shall leave things be but, after being blown away by her Bond theme – like most other people -, it is onwards and upwards for the U.S. star. If you want to discover a Pop artist who can be popular without being mainstream and following trends, then investigate Billie Eilish. Last year was a huge one for her, but I have the feeling this one will be even bigger, better, and more successful. With No Time to Die, Billie Eilish has penned (with her brother, Finneas O'Connell) a Bond theme…