Having surged into the limelight with her 2023 debut, Blondshell has firmly established herself as one of the most important new voices in guitar music. Now, with her second effort ‘If You Asked For A Picture’, Sabrina Teitelbaum is amplifying her honesty and lowering her defenses.
If honesty were a competitive sport, Sabrina Teitelbaum would have claimed the championship with her debut. Comprising candid college-rock confessions that tackle grief, addiction, social anxiety, and a string of deeply unfulfilling relationships, her self-titled record as Blondshell was unapologetic and earned its place as one of the standout albums of 2023. Listening to her music feels like entering the intimate world of the LA-based artist, creating a parasocial connection simply by pressing play. Meeting in person this morning in the lobby of an East London hotel, it is difficult to view Teitelbaum as anything but an open book. However, the truth is more complex. While warm and approachable, the 27-year-old draws clear lines when discussing certain personal details, emphasizing the role of songwriting as a unique outlet for unfiltered expression. This is especially evident in her highly praised second album, ‘If You Asked For A Picture’. Thematically, the 12-track collection serves almost as a prequel to her debut; it explores her past to dig into the roots of her trauma, exposing issues such as power dynamics, family tension, body dysmorphia, and cycles of destructive behavior. Unlike her debut, which provided a broader narrative overview, this time Teitelbaum focuses on specific images in hopes of conveying emotional truth.
The album takes its title from a line in ‘Dogfish’, a 1983 poem by Pulitzer Prize-winner Mary Oliver. In this poem, Oliver grapples with the question of autobiography and how much of oneself to reveal, stating: “You don’t want to hear the story of my life, and anyway, I don’t want to tell it.” As a songwriter who considers her listeners as confidantes, Teitelbaum resonated deeply with these words, altering her creative process. “I’ve always struggled with over-explaining in the hope that others would fully understand me,” she reflects. “The reality is that sometimes this approach can do the opposite of what you intend. Often, it’s more effective to provide listeners with glimpses into what you’re experiencing and let them make their own connections.” Consequently, the album is filled with vivid snapshots that draw the listener into the moment. ‘Event Of A Fire’ exemplifies this, drawing on a 4am hotel fire drill during a tour to weave together a narrative of suppressed, sleep-deprived thoughts that ultimately depict Teitelbaum’s fragile mental state. Built to a gradual melodic peak, it serves as a stream of consciousness reflecting emotional exhaustion, Teitelbaum explains. “To function in society or maintain a job, you have to bury things from 20 years ago—incidents from yesterday—just to navigate your day. A lot of the music captures what’s constantly happening beneath the surface."
Teitelbaum remarks, “For instance, as a girl, you grow up being told you need to fit a specific weight and body shape. I can’t think of a single woman I know who hasn’t been affected by that.” She acknowledges the relentless pressure of those expectations and the exhaustion that comes from pretending they don’t impact you daily. ‘Model Rockets’ expands on this theme, examining the toxic connection between weight gain related to depression and feelings of personal failure (“I got big and pigeonholed / I watched tv shows / I lost friends and my collar bone”).
As with her debut, ‘If You Asked For A Picture’ was recorded at Sunset Sound in LA with Yves Rothman (Yves Tumor, Amaarae). However, while ‘Blondshell’ was largely focused on grungy guitars and the raw sounds of ‘90s alt-rock, her second album aims for a broader sonic landscape, encompassing Beatles-like ballads (‘Model Rockets’), jangly indie ('Toy'), and anthemic alt-rock ('Arms'). Teitelbaum shares, “I wanted this record to feel more expansive. It’s not just about big raw songs or ballads—I wanted to fill in more space.”
Additionally, where she previously drew inspiration from Interpol, The Cure, and Hole’s ‘Live Through This’ for production, this time she leaned towards more dominant influences. Leading the pack were the radio-friendly rock sounds of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Californication’ and the production prowess of Queens of the Stone Age’s ‘Rated R’, as she was inspired by John Frusciante’s rich guitar textures and Josh Homme’s production strength. You can hear the influence of the latter in the satisfying crunch of ‘T+A’’s chorus and the former in the soaring guitar solo at the climax of ‘Change’. As an artist un
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After making a splash with her swift debut in 2023, Blondshell has established herself as a crucial new voice in guitar music. Now, with her second release, ‘If You Asked For A Picture’, Sabrina Teitelbaum is amplifying her authenticity and lowering her defenses.