Goddess (Deluxe Version)

Jillian Banks is ready to take over where Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence left off. Or is that where Frank Ocean is currently waiting? In any case, Banks, a native Californian, knows her way around R&B, the art of seduction, and building her public profile. Early SoundCloud offerings led to EPs and bracing videos and eventually this album, which features highlights from the EPs along with new material. Hints of The Weeknd’s crawling noir make sense. She opened for them in North America. The Lana Del Rey mentions are in the ballpark; she's used three of the same producers (Justin Parker, Al Shux, Sohn). But what those names don’t say are just how fully formed Banks comes across. The piano ballad “You Should Know Where I’m Coming From,” the exquisite “Waiting Game,” and the catchy “Brain,” “Drowning,” and “Something New” provide variety. The title track demonstrates her sense of no-nonsense self-empowerment, while “F**k Em Only We Know” doesn’t mince words or feelings. The deluxe edition includes four bonus tracks, including “And I Drove You Crazy” and “Before I Ever Met You.”