After the instant success of his single “Beautiful Things,” released in January, Benson Boone’s name has spread far and large. Devoted fans — who trusted the success of his hit single as a reflection of his future music — have anticipated his upcoming album for months. Thus, the release of Fireworks & Rollerblades in early April caused quite the stir for Benson Boone listeners. Already played on repeat for many fans, here is our review of this impressive debut album from rising artist Benson Boone.
“Intro” – Lachlan
“Intro” is a gorgeous introduction to Boone’s newest album Fireworks and Rollerblades because, while it is only a mere 1:02 minutes long, his crescendo builds up the raw emotion Boone reflects throughout the entirety of the album. The line “It’s only you and me and I” is so powerful and leaves listeners ready to explore the rest of the album.
“Be Someone” – Lachlan
“Be Someone” is one of the more upbeat songs on Boone’s album. In this song, Boone repeats the line “And do you believe there is a life where it’s just you and me and I?” from “Intro” and seamlessly transitions into the rest of the album. Through his examples of being someone to hold, sweeping someone off their feet, and keeping them warm, Boone sings about wanting to be someone for an individual. His desire and craving for the person he sings about is apparent through “Be Someone.”
“Slow It Down” – Lanaya
“Slow It Down” is one of the sweetest songs on Fireworks and Rollerblades. The lyrics “Oh, I hate that I’m the reason that you’re in your head right now” introduce Boone’s guiding advice to enjoy the moment and not worry about the future. Afterall, “We’re too young to drown deep in dirty waters.” I can speak for both of us when I say this song feels like a hug and a deep breath of calm air.
“Beautiful Things” – Lachlan
This song really surprised me the first time I heard it. For the first minute and a half of “Beautiful Things,” Boone starts off with a slower rhythm and a somber fear of losing the girl he finally had and loved. I believed it would be a slow song through and through. Then, at around 1:26, Boone gets louder, vocalizing his anguish in pleading to God to not take away the girl he loves. His fear of losing the girl and the picture of what’s beautiful in his life is paralyzing — which is apparent in the lyrics “I need these beautiful things that I’ve got.”
“Cry” – Lanaya
When I first showed this song to my friend, she complained it was too sad, but quickly changed her mind when Benson Boone changes the pace with the incorporation of drums. I love this song because it reflects how I feel about many people; “I really hate the way you think that you can get away by blaming all your stupid problems on your mental state.” “Cry” is a song about refusing to take the blame for someone else’s irresponsible and inconsiderate actions and I am so in love with his words. My favorite lyric is “go ahead and ruin someone else’s life.”
“Forever and a Day” – Lachlan
“Forever and a Day” is my favorite song on Boone’s entire album. I don’t even know how to describe how it makes me feel — it is just beautiful. The part that makes “Forever and a Day” is that Boone explicitly says that “I don’t believe in destiny” but that “Your melodies, they’re changing me / I’m yours forever and a day.” I think that those are some of the most stunning and romantic lyrics my ears have been blessed to hear. Boone was skeptical about love and destiny before he met the girl references throughout Fireworks and Rollerblades and ever since he saw her emerald eyes, he knew he loved her “Forever and a Day.”
“In The Stars” – Lanaya
This ballad is for the broken-hearted listeners; as Boone drones about how he lost his faith in God with the end of a relationship, I can’t help but sympathize with his pain. He claims “I’m still holdin’ on to everything that’s dead and gone” and “you took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces.” Benson Boone is a heart wrenching lyricist similar to Noah Kahan: I absolutely adore “In The Stars.”
“Drunk In My Mind” – Lachlan
“Drunk In My Mind” reminds me a lot of a Jason Mraz song in the beginning before Boone slowly gets grittier as the song progresses. “Drunk In My Mind” is one of the turning points throughout the album where he is beginning to sing an angstier break-up song. Boone describes how he felt addicted to her when she tasted like wine and he was then “Drunk In My Mind.” Then, Boone decided he was getting sober from being drunk on their lust and infatuation.
“My Greatest Fear” – Lanaya
Initiating with a soft guitar strum and references to his lost connection with a greater power, “My Greatest Fear” is a proclamation of deep love. Boone cries “but you’re here now and that makes it better somehow” and confesses how severely affected he would be without the subject of his desire. The song ends sourly; he hints that he has already lost his person. Nevertheless, this song is a stunning example of pure infatuation.
“There She Goes” – Lachlan
Boone’s life was forever changed by the girl that threads throughout the album and in “There She Goes.” Boone’s horror toward the girl entering his life, turning it upside down, and then leaving him is palpable. The girl throughout the album left Boone feeling like her ghost was the only one that haunts him and he mourns the days they were together because he wishes they were back together again. Boone is lonely without her ghost keeping him awake at night and he is scared of losing the one piece of her he has left.
“Hello Love” – Lanaya
Another bittersweet anthem on Fireworks and Rollerblades, “Hello Love” is a story of a two pronged path, where he has gone in a separate direction from his love. Boone chants his feelings of melancholy and even claims to feel lost. The lyric “won’t you hold me while this storm is in my head? I’m alone and I can barely catch my breath” leaves listeners nearly as gut-wrenchingly lonely as our beloved Benson Boone. I love the piano in this song, the slow rising of tension, and his insistence for “a little more ‘stay.’” Not to mention, his reference “like two fireworks tied to a rollerblade” leads me to believe “Hello Love” was his inspiration for the album title. I would argue that “Hello Love” could have been the album single. Give it a listen right now.
“Ghost Town” – Lachlan
“Ghost Town” is one of Boone’s first singles that came out in 2021. I listened to this and “In the Stars” repeatedly and I knew from then on Boone would have me hooked. I am so glad that “Ghost Town” reappeared on Fireworks and Rollerblades because it deserves to have a home in the spotlight. “Ghost Town” allowed Boone to reveal the vulnerability of his insecurity within his relationship. He didn’t want to keep a girl in the relationship if he felt she was pulling away, but would never leave. That was too much for him to take so he let her go before she became a shell of herself from their relationship. This was one of Boone’s first raw pieces and it still stands strong three years later.
“Love Of Mine” – Lanaya
For those who adore a heart wrenching breakup song, look no further than “Love of Mine.” This letter to a past lover is utterly earth-shatteringly vulnerable. Listening to the lyric “I’m just bones covered in skin, no heartbeat only this pain I’m in” sends cool shivers down my spine. This song illustrates genuine pain and yet, I can’t stop listening.
“Friend” – Lachlan
“Friend” is the most relatable song on Fireworks and Rollerblades in my opinion. Boone is desperate for help and a companion to help him remember what it’s like to “Be young and alive” because he feels as though he’s drowning. Boone is pleading for someone to be with him “when the world starts cavin’ in” and his despair is recognizable as Boone holds out a hand to let his audience connect with him on a deeper level.
“What Do You Want” – Lanaya
The final song on Fireworks and Rollerblades, “What Do You Want” is a highly emotional journey through Benson Boones’ confusion in a relationship. He sings “I thought we had a deal, but now I’m learning that I never had control.” He feels led on and doesn’t understand how to make his lover happy. He has put everything he feels like he could into the relationship and keeps asking – with a throaty angry shout – “what do you want from me?” Plus, I’m slowly learning no Benson Boone song is complete without a dramatic turning point; once the song starts speeding up, I can’t help but dance along with his rage. “I don’t give a damn,” this song is good.
Fireworks and Rollerblades is one of Benson Boone’s best pieces of work. His talents vividly range from the beautiful fantasies of being in love to his desperate fear and rage. Every song on the album captivated us and it was difficult to find the words to describe how we felt when we first heard his emotional numbers on Fireworks and Rollerblades. His talents of changing the tempo of every song while also chanting heart wrenchingly poetic lyrics makes Benson Boone an artist to watch out for. We are excited to see what else Benson Boone has in store for us in the future of his promising career.