Review: Natural Beauty - Mo Troper


By Zach Zollo


Mo Troper, in his relatively short career, has so far proven to be: a lovelorn cynic, a snarky satirist, a hook master-general, a maestro of metaphor, and an exciting voice in the contemporary landscape of power pop. But on Natural Beauty, Troper adds another role to his repertoire: an optimist. Whereas his previous records featured a perspective and delivery lacquered in resentment, Natural Beauty showcases a more refined, objective, enlightened, and hopeful Troper - one that's improved leaps and bounds as an arranger, composer and songwriter. 

Take the album's crown jewel, "In Love With Everyone." Lyrically, it's a confession of how easily Troper is swooned, something he characterizes as a flaw. But musically, the song is nothin' but sunshine. Aquatic, chiptune-esque synth chords welcome in a raucous rhythm section and twangy riff, further accented by strings, horns and hand percussion. The melody is one of Troper's most infectious, and particularly rewarding when he challenges himself to perfect his falsetto - like when the lyrics "lollipops and bubbleGUUUUM" escalate into the atmosphere atop the sugary instrumental. It's clear from the composition alone that Mo has set a new standard for himself. 

"Your Boy" is another prime example of this evolution, a song that features a downright sinful jangle pop lead. While skepticism bubbles ever-so-slightly under the surface of its lyrics, Troper manages to portray the head-over-heels nature of the subject's love as something to be cherished, despite its flaws. "Jas From Australia," a certified banger™ of a track, recollects a long-term, online relationship Troper had with a fond sense of nostalgia. Even "Everything," at an abrupt 67 seconds, plays like an old Beach Boys outtake, in both message and delivery. 

But this isn't to say Natural Beauty is all gumdrops and rainbows; when Troper aims his rifle at a target worthy of dissection, he doesn't miss. Album opener "I Eat" reveals Troper's struggle with binge-eating, featuring the poignant lyrics "The kid who did all his homework on Friday night/At the mercy of his appetite." Album highlight "Lucky Devils" is a scathing critique of gentrification in his hometown of Portland, boasting a wonderful zinger in "You don't have to remind us that we're special/So many different types of white people." But these songs, along with "Almost Full Control" and "Potential," are so gleefully rich with orchestration, that the otherwise biting commentaries become accessible, memorable, and sing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-able. 

If this record has any major flaw, it's sequencing. The final two tracks are the two longest on the record, accounting for a third of its runtime. While they're thematically connected together, "Business As Usual" drones on to a point that halts the album's momentum. That being said, closing track "Cameo" may in fact be the most devastating song Troper has thus far written. As he strums melancholy chords on his acoustic guitar, Troper sings of an acquaintance whose attempts to be recover the relationships they ruined have been futile. It's the most potent thematic concept in an album full of them.

Ultimately, Natural Beauty brings some well-needed joy into Troper's winning formula, enough so that this album stands in a league of its own amongst his catalogue. Maybe it's due to him getting in touch with his musical roots, maybe it's moving back to his home city. Whatever the case, one thing's certain: Mo finally seems happy crafting his place in pop, and the music's all the better for it. 


BOPS: "I Eat," "Your Boy," "In Love With Everyone," "Jas From Australia," "Potential," "Lucky Devils," "Cameo"

DUDS: "Come And Get Me," "Business As Usual"

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