Keepsake

Hatchie - Keepsake
Critic Score
Based on 21 reviews
2019 Ratings: #187 / 805
User Score
Based on 492 ratings
2019 Rank: #246
Liked by 34 people
June 21, 2019 / Release Date
LP / Format
Dream Pop / Genre
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
Dork
There are at least five undeniable golden singles on here and for a debut album, it doesn’t get much better than that.
90
PopMatters

Keepsake contains nihilism and optimism at once. This tender, overwhelming pop music has a way of feeling like the soundtrack to the end of the world.

90
God Is in the TV

It’s a fitting name for an album that captures the exact moment she became a special artist. That feeling should be something to treasure, just like this incredible record itself.

85
Under the Radar
This is a record destined to sit at the beginning of a promising legacy in years to come, as Hatchie continues to create jangling sonic comfort food far into the future.
85
The Line of Best Fit

Keepsake has an inexplicable familiarity even as it bursts with new ideas. It is a document capable of throwing us into our own pasts, the perfect score for the movies we make in our minds.

83
Consequence of Sound

It is through this searching and continual movement that Hatchie etches her own lines to define her persona through her music, constantly propelling herself and her ideas in new directions and trusting that we’ll keep up.

80
Clash

Bold, bigger, musically more confident while lyrically looking ever more inward, it’s the sound of the songwriter truly coming into her own.

80
Exclaim!

Keepsake marks an assertive, confident step forward for Hatchie and Pilbeam is well on her way to carving out her own storied path.

80
The Skinny
This style of music reaches its peaks when aiming for that inexplicable overdose of feeling. And Hatchie is really good at that.
80
DIY

At some point, you’ll wonder if it was Hatchie’s heartache and pain that was written about, or your own.

80
AllMusic

As Hatchie exceeds the expectations set by Sugar & Spice, Keepsake reflects her growth into an even more confident and varied artist.

77
Paste
She doesn’t experiment much throughout her debut, but Pilbeam knows what she does best and sticks to it throughout.
75
The 405

Keepsake feels a bit more akin to a tentative step forward than a leap into the stratosphere, but for a debut it's stuffed with endless charm and promise.

70
Spectrum Culture

When everything clicks, Keepsake is at times brilliant. Its best songs are among the best indie pop produced this year and will likely take up residence in your head for weeks on end after listening to them.

65
Pitchfork

Hatchie's platonic ideal of dream pop goes down a bit too easy, like another rewatch of a John Hughes film.

60
The Guardian
The obvious reference points of Hatchie’s debut album are only a problem if you let them be. She’s a smart songwriter, with time on her side to forge a more distinctive identity. In the meantime, as Wilde’s aphorism tells us, talent borrows; genius steals.
60
NOW Magazine

It’s clear Pilbeam knows how to set a mood, expertly layering wistful sounds against her feather-light voice, without one ever overpowering the other. Individually, the songs are absorbing, but when listened back to back, they begin to lose their magic.

usedtobe
100

The debut full-length release for Australian dream pop artist Harriette Pilbeam, that goes after the name Hatchie (given by her mom), features her cover art with versions of herself moving away from her body, in various hues of blue, encompassing her own brand of sound borrowed from a era long gone, giving it a refreshing twist and lyrical depth. With the release of her extended play Sugar & Spice, inspired by her first adult relationship, a silken collection of soaring pop confections, ... read more

lermontov
85

ORIGINAL SCORE: 94

So, the album announced in February, which I was looking forward to, finally came out.
Hatchie is surely becoming new dream-pop idol of this generation, because «Keepsake» reflects ideology of our time and causes a feeling of nostalgia.

The album starts almost perfect with the opening «Not That Kind», which defines the mood of the whole record. And the last song «Keep» also ends the album in the best traditions — on notes of sadness ... read more

scott96k
76

1) Not that Kind: 6.8 (EDIT 7.5 really grew on me)
• Reverb central
• Nice delay on vocals
• Sweet chorus
• Overall delicate and lush intro, doesn’t push boundaries but is a decent stand-alone track

2) Without a Blush: 6.5
• Similar haziness to the sound of the first track
• Bittersweet lyrics about longing and regret
• Dream pop equivalent to something Chvrches might do
• Nothing too special about it but again it’s a nice tune that I ... read more

Domcactus
65

Compared to her 2022 album, there's a serious lack of memorability here.

Nonetheless, there are some highlights, but nothing as impressive as what was to come

Fav Songs: Without a Blush, Obsessed, Secret, idk what else

joaomarco2003
90

foda

67

Ngl the production and creative decisions Hatchie made are the best part of this record. I really like this album’s sound and how it feels like the cold night after a hot day in summer. Neon Cowgirl is like a real definition of the vibe of Keepsake. She used some guitars and synths that made her naive country sounds shoegaze and dreampop. But lyrics and especially songs composition are something that made my grade lower. Maybe I just don’t get it, but that’s a good declaration ... read more

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Track List

1Not That Kind
3:50
85
2Without a Blush
4:58
90
3Her Own Heart
3:55
82
4Obsessed
5:13
83
5Unwanted Guest
4:56
90
6Secret
4:04
85
7Kiss the Stars
4:11
82
8Stay With Me
4:55
90
9When I Get Out
4:33
81
10Keep
4:37
83
Total Length: 45 minutes
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Added on: February 26, 2019