Pick of the Week: Vagabon “Lexicon”

By Ash Jones, Staff Writer

Vagabon’s new album, Sorry I Haven’t Called, was the pick-me-up I desperately needed in the time of early sunsets and biting air. “Lexicon,” the fourth track on this colorful release, is a jubilant number that wistfully carries listeners off their feet. Electric in nature, yet mellow in verse, “Lexicon” is a song that fits itself into a category of its own. 

The Power of Pop 

Following the release of her self-titled 2019 album, Vagabon now enters center stage with a bright, fluorescent aura that illuminates every track on Sorry I Haven’t Called. Heading towards a diverted path that doesn’t mirror the deeper cuts of her previous album, Vagabon offers a reinvented version of her alternative sound by adding a dash of upbeat pop. 

The lyrics of “Lexicon” deliberately erase the tongue twisters and lengthy lines that have been present in Vagabon’s songs before. The chorus follows a voice that acknowledges the barrenness of dialogue with another. She sings, “Our lexicon is gone, when we dance all night.” Could Vagabon be referencing a lover she’s having a good time with? Or rather, could the lack of words and persistence of physical energy conclude that the leisure is being had to avoid conflict? Whoever Vagabon is directing this to, the core of “Lexicon” applies to many scenarios where the lack of conversation can be seen as a virtue. Vagabon emphasizes that convivial time with another can distract from the overflow of words that comes with verbalized sentiments. 

Along with “Lexicon,” the entirety of Sorry I Haven’t Called is a triumph in the pop genre. Though Vagabon’s focal point on this album is structured with bouncy drum beats, bright chords and catchy choruses, her songs still have a distinct flavor that leave the future of pop in promising hands.  

What’s Next for Vagabon? 

Just like “Lexicon,” everything Vagabon has recently created feels like little musical sprouts that’ll continue to blossom when the right season comes around. The world is already coming around on Vagabon’s take on the pop genre. The traction will continue to pick up as Vagabon leaves the stage of genesis and seasons herself to become a self-possessed icon.

Sorry I Haven’t Called was released on September 15th, 2023, and Vagabon followed with a headlining tour that crossed places such as Chicago, DC, and Toronto. Though her Somerville and Hamden concert dates have already passed this fall, Vagabon still has five shows to conclude her tour on the west coast. 

Tune in and keep Vagabon on your radar; her momentum grows everyday!