Review: Willow Stephens unearths thematic treasures on debut album, ‘All That Glitters’ -

In “The Riddle of Strider,” a poem found in “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” the character of Gandalf leaves behind a letter for Frodo Baggins in Bree. Within its pages, the piece in question, penned by Bilbo Baggins, offers a flowery recount of Aragon’s heritage, earthly wanderings, and ultimate destiny. “All that is gold does not glitter, / Not all those who wander are lost; / The old that is strong does not wither, / Deep roots are not reached by the frost,” reads the first stanza. Acclaimed author J.R.R. Tolkien reworks a line from Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” (it originally appears as “All that glisters is not gold”) to upend the intent and meaning threaded throughout his adventure tale.

Los Angeles songbird Willow Stephens, who sews her own sparkling musical fabrics with deeply-ancient wisdom, peels back the layers of her life over the last four years to find reflective metallics buried fix-feet deep. Her debut album, aptly called All That Glitters, puffs with a flurry of gold-streaked grooves – R&B mingles with poppy hook worms before detonating inside a purple mushroom cloud. “We spend our lives searching for the things that will make us feel full and give our life value. Many times, I get pulled off track by the shiny things that give me instant gratification and grab my attention right now,” she said about the record, which spins like a top in much the same fashion as Mindy Gledhill. She continues, “Too often I miss the incredible gifts that are right in front of me. But every once in a while, we strike gold and stumble on the real deal and if we’re lucky, we realize when we find it.”

Those words, resolute and unwavering, are etched through Stephens’ smooth, yet calculated, vocal coloring. Focus track “Paper Cranes,” which we previously reviewed, is a delicate but fiercely imposing performance. It’s songcraft at its most gutting. “Paper lungs don’t breathe / Paper hearts can’t feel / I want to bleed,” she squeezes until the last drop gasps from her throat. She picks the barbs that stick to her skin, trying to feel anything at all, but the relationship might be best left on the shelf to collect dust. “Lullaby” carries with it a similar visceral texture but in a far more dreamy, cosmic way – the initial love kiss, the day she met her now-husband, sent an unexpected rush to fill her lungs, her heart, her cheeks. “Tonight, my dreams are tangled up in you,” she coos. The drop swoops in, casting a soft silver glow of the moon’s luminescence.

The strength of All That Glitters owes to not only Stephens’ airy, heaven-delivered vocals but to culling vast influences – from the disco-tinted opener “Gold” to the chilled-out R&B refrain “Ocean” to the club-pop banger “Labyrinth.” She steeps her cords in the spitting wildfire of “Nothing Nice to Say,” in which she vows to speak her absolute truths. “All my life, I’ve heard it a thousand times / Tried to keep me quiet / If I got nothing nice to say, I’m gonna say it anyway,” she sings with a wink and a shrug. Her endurance has already been tested, and she’s done living any way but her own.

“What are you hiding under your thin skin / I know you wanna, wanna let me in,” she entices with the muted “Thin Skin,” carving out a sensual vocal turn. “Lightyears Away” struts down a funky, strobe-lit runway and busts with a dynamic, flowing performance that zips between a sinewy, melodic hook and syncopated verses. Each component is glued together and culminates in a bright, intense, and addicting exhibit. To punctuate the breadth of her craft and style, “Heart Wide Open” grumbles with an acoustic guitar’s trusty snap, guiding her dainty voice through a towering hall of classic singer-songwriter balladry. “Got a heart that can’t be broken / Because it’s already wide open / So much love to give / With a heart wide open,” an exhilarating sigh escapes her lips. She’s invited you along for an emotional journey, an invitation you’ve gladly accepted, and it’s put you through things and made you feel it all. You’ve felt unimaginable joy, sorrow, anger, loneliness, serenity, fear, catharsis. On the other side, you’ve earned your wings.

Willow Stephens’ All That Glitters is a fun little indie pop record. Her destiny awaits.