American singer-songwriter Lauv released his newest album “All 4 Nothing” on Aug. 5, and it’s just in time for summer’s end.

In “All 4 Nothing,” Lauv brings with it a new sense of self, much like Harry Style’s “Harry’s House” and Conan Gray’s “Superache.” Overall, the summer of 2022 has brought a new outlook of the artist’s own narrative and emotions to the musical world, allowing audiences to look into a more significant idea of what music can express.

26

26 is a song about being 26, but  Lauv transforms it into the narration of his life as a rising artist and how it’s been a rough transition. The tune walks away from the cliches found in love songs and makes another path in the sands of human experience, adding to the collective storytelling albums from this summer.

Stranger

“Stranger,” like all the other tunes in the album’s tracklist, is accompanied by a music video that’s darker than “26,” a music video that was surprisingly vivid despite its heartbreaking lyrics. The “Stranger” music video is especially touching in the end where Lauv and the woman whom he’s afraid of losing hold hands together despite all they’ve been through.

In the tune, Lauv describes his fears of a relationship ending because his other relationships have fallen apart due to him pushing people away. He sings that he is no stranger to loving, falling apart, secrets and more, showing the audience how deep this fear runs.

Kids Are Born Stars

Lyrics like, “Girl, just kiss me before you miss me / Say someday I’m gonna be a really big star,” lead this tune, creating a more lighthearted tone. Lauv sings about a young love that didn’t work out despite him knowing he was going to be a big star and wistfully remembers his youthful days.

The music video contradicts the lyrics when Lauv meets his younger self, leading to a reconciliation of two time periods in his life. When they meet, older Lauv sticks around for a while until the girl that he was in love with comes around, eventually turning into an older version of herself too.

Molly in Mexico

In the catchy tune “Molly in Mexico,” Lauv remembers a trip to Mexico with someone he loved, singing, “And we took Molly in Mexico,” alluding to getting high on drugs.

Although the tune isn’t as symbolic as others in the tracklist, it still revisits Lauv’s memory, letting him express himself and his emotions with music. 

All For Nothing (I’m So In Love)

By far the best tune in the album, “All For Nothing (I’m So In Love)” is packed full of emotion that can easily be felt by the audience, with its catchy lyrics and a melody that flows perfectly together with the bright and fun music video. 

The music video jumps from Lauv drifting away in the ocean while singing, “I’m so in love,  I’m so in love,” to him dancing on the beach singing and playing piano accompanied by the line, “Eh, did you know that you’re my whole heart?” capturing audiences’ hearts and bringing them into the emotions expressed by the song.

Stay Together

“Stay Together” takes a different turn to love songs, celebrating a breakup instead of mourning it. Lyrics like “Thank God we never stayed together / Bought a house, had a kid, got a dog together,” make the meaning of the song clear.

Although simple, the music video also makes a statement about the emotions that Lauv is having while reminiscing about this past relationship. With a carefree smile aboard a skateboard, Lauv shows his relief and happiness about ending the relationship, representing a different take on other mainstream breakup tunes. 

Summer Nights 

“Summer Nights” has a rhythm you can dance to and represents yet another kind of relationship that’s far from the ideal image of love. With lyrics like, “Say you will come with me, yeah / Back to summer nights, you and I / Way before we were real lovers,” Lauv expresses his emotions looking back on a relationship before it was really real.

The wish to reverse a romantic relationship instead of holding on to it creates a complex emotional narration for audiences listening, breaking away from romantic stereotypes in songs.

Time After Time

Titled like Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” Lauv sings about loving someone so much that he can see himself falling in love with this same person millions of times over despite his heart being broken.

This music video is simple as well, but the symbolism of the singer plucking petals off a flower as he sings about this love is enough symbolism for the subject and the short running time of the song creates a tune that can very much be played on an hour loop.

Hey Ari

“Hey Ari” shows a close, empathetic love that’s portrayed by lyrics checking up on “Ari” who is not happy despite acting so. When lyrics like “I see through the pills you take / I see through the face you make,” change to say, “I see through the pills I take / I see through the face I make,” it complicates the meaning further.

The emotional connection between Ari and Lauv focuses on emotional health — another form of love — that hasn’t been seen before in other songs on the tracklist.

Better Than This

“Better Than This” and “Hey Ari” are similar because of how they compare Lauv to the person he’s singing about.

Lyrics like “I could do better than this” shift to “Cause you can do better than this,” letting listeners know that the song is about the singer as much as it is about the other person in the relationship, exploring emotions that affect two different people.

Bad Trip

“Bad Trip” explores mental health and a different type of love: self love. Much like “Stranger,” Lauv sings about his fears of losing his mind and dying in the dark. Lyrics like, “Don’t let me die in the dark,” “It was a really bad night” and “Yeah, it’s falling apart” showcase his fear for himself more than for someone else.

I (Don’t) Have A Problem

“I (Don’t) Have a Problem” deals with false confidence. In it, Lauv sings about the emotional turmoil he experiences while fabricating his confidence, revealing how alone he feels because of it.

The music video that accompanies the tune helps make sure that the idea of loneliness and its accompanying emotions come across as well, with visuals of Lauv walking away wrapped in a blanket at the end.

First Grade

In “First Grade,” Lauv expresses the emotions of someone that he loves instead of his own, explaining how the person often feels alone and discouraged because of their past.

Lyrics like “But I want to show you / That’s it’s okay to be who you are,” show how much Lauv cares for this person, making sure that they know they are loved, beautiful and safe. The heartfelt tune is different from other songs because it represents another aspect of life — the past and love — intertwined to make an emotional and musical experience for the audience, comforting them in their own lives and individual emotions.

The songs on “All 4 Nothing” make for a perfect summer album that collaborates with other artists’ themes in recently released tracklists, making it a great way to end the summer of ‘22.

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