The New Zealand native turned LA transplant’s 4th studio album falls short of it’s namesake, but still provides an interesting alternative to modern pop music.

Kimbra Lee Johnson, known mononymously as simply Kimbra, has wanted to be in the music industry since the age of 11. At just 17, she got her wish, signing to a management deal with the goal of turning her into a popstar. By 21, she was featured on the 2011 smash hit “Somebody that I Used to Know” by Gotye, which propelled the singer into a spotlight most musicians dream of reaching. She would go on to win a Grammy for her contribution on the record and enjoy moderate success afterwards. However, even after garnering over a billion streams on Spotify and the most prestigious award in the industry, somehow, Kimbra remains one of pop’s best hidden gems.

Now, it’s no big secret that I’m one of Kimbra’s biggest fans. I have a signed poster from her 2018 tour hanging in my room, as well as a signed record of hers on display on my living room wall. I saw her live twice in the span of a month back in 2018, and will be seeing her during the North American leg of her tour again in February of this year. So, it’s hard for me to remain objective when it comes to Kimbra. However, where would my credibility be if I weren’t here.

“A Reckoning” is the Kiwi artist’s fourth studio album, following 2018’s “Primal Heart”. The latter ended up being one of my favorites of the year. It felt like a true evolution and maturation of her sound. Like she had carved her own lane and embraced it fully, like she had finally completely come into her own. According to Kimbra in an interview with Atwood Magazine, “[A Reckoning] was inspired by an exploration of rage and anger. While I was working on it, the world was going through so much, between George Floyd, the pandemic, the uprisings and everything else. I had a lot of emotions myself and wanted to express them out in the open.” Overall, “A Reckoning” feels less whimsical than her pervious efforts, and is more vulnerable because of it. Unfortunately, though, while “A Reckoning” does take Kimbra’s sound to some interesting new avenues, it ultimately feels too safe, and is missing a certain charm that’s become a staple in her previous works.

Kimbra’s first record, “Vows”, felt like an artist discovering her sound, while at the same time providing a new and fresh spin on pop music. Her sophomore effort, “The Golden Echo” felt like a natural progression of that sound, akin to a sequel. And while it didn’t reach the same highs, the spirit remained. “A Reckoning” though, is missing that punch of her first three LPs. There’s nothing on this record that screams “Kimbra”, nothing that truly sets it apart from her contemporaries.

That’s not to say “A Reckoning” is necessarily a bad record, though. Kimbra’s vocals are as pristine as ever. She’s truly in a league of her own in that regard. There’s a certain confidence Kimbra exudes on the album as well, a confidence she was just tapping into during “Primal Heart”. The album’s highlights “replay!” and “the way we were” have been stuck in my head since release, and are among some of the best in her catalogue. However, from the sloppy and uninspired rap features, to the lack of flow and disjointed nature of the track listing, “A Reckoning” leaves a lot to be desired and feels like untapped potential.

Do I hate the record? Absolutely not. Am I a bit disappointed that this is the Kimbra record we get after a near 5 year hiatus? Sure. There’s very little that will bring me back to “A Reckoning” the way I still go back and revisit “Vows” and “Primal Heart” to this day. I’m always happy with new Kimbra songs, and I can’t wait to see her again in February. But, instead of a war cry, “A Reckoning” feels more like a whisper.

Rating: 6.4/10

-Devyn Tammons