Coping Mechanism (album)

Willow released the song "Maybe It's My Fault" on June 24, 2022.{{Cite web |last=Trapp |first=Philip |title=Willow's New Song 'Maybe It's My Fault' Has a Wicked Metalcore Breakdown |url=https://loudwire.com/willow-maybe-its-my-fault-metalcore-breakdown-ending/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Loudwire |date=June 24, 2022 |language=en}} It was reported to be the lead single from Coping Mechanism, which at the time was unnamed and scheduled to be released in the summer.{{Cite web |last=Kenneally |first=Cerys |title=Willow shares new single 'Maybe It's My Fault' |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/willow-shares-new-single-maybe-its-my-fault |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=The Line of Best Fit |language=en-US}} A music video accompanied the song's release, which was directed by Dana Trippe.{{Cite web |last=Rowley |first=Glenn |date=2022-06-24 |title=WILLOW releases new single 'Maybe It's My Fault': Stream |url=https://consequence.net/2022/06/willow-maybe-its-my-fault-stream/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |last=Mier |first=Tomás |date=2022-06-24 |title=Willow Offers Trippy Visuals as She Wonders, 'Maybe It's My Fault' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/willow-maybe-its-my-fault-music-video-1373316/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}} Willow released the second single, "Hover Like a Goddess" on August 4.{{Cite web |last=Newstead |first=Al |date=2022-08-05 |title=Willow shares 'Hover Like a Goddess', announces new album 'Coping Mechanism' |url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/willow-hover-like-a-goddess-single-coping-mechanism-new-album/14006776 |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Triple J |language=en-AU}} A music video directed by Jaxon Whittington was released with the song.{{Cite web |last=Brodsky |first=Rachel |date=2022-08-05 |title=Willow Shares New Song 'Hover Like a Goddess': Listen |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2195358/willow-hover-like-a-goddess/music/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} The following day, Coping Mechanism was announced.{{Cite web |last=Segall |first=Dora |date=2022-08-05 |title=Willow Releases Blazing Video for 'Hover like a Goddess,' Announces New Album |url=https://www.spin.com/2022/08/willow-releases-blazing-video-for-hover-like-a-goddess-announces-new-album/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Spin |language=en-US}} It was scheduled for release on September 23.{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Steffanee |title=Willow Announces New Album 'Coping Mechanism' |url=https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/willow-coping-mechanism-album-release-date-features |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Nylon |date=August 4, 2022 |language=en}} Willow released "Curious/Furious" and its video on September 9.{{Cite web |last=B. Kile |first=Meredith |title=New Music Releases September 9: Lewis Capaldi, Ari Lennox, Kelly Clarkson, Dolly Parton and More! |url=https://www.etonline.com/new-music-releases-september-9-lewis-capaldi-ari-lennox-kelly-clarkson-dolly-parton-and-more-190538 |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Entertainment Tonight |date=September 9, 2022 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mursalin |first=Rhea |date=2022-09-10 |title=Willow Debuts New Song & Video 'Curious/Furious' |url=https://music.mxdwn.com/2022/09/10/news/willow-debuts-new-song-copingmechanism-out-september-23/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Mxdwn |language=en-US}} The song serves as the album's third single.{{Cite web |last=Helphand |first=Raphael |date= |title=Willow shares new song 'Curious/Furious' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2022/09/09/willow-curiousfurious-copingmechanism |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=The Fader |language=en}} After the single's release, Coping Mechanism was rescheduled. The album's new release date was set as October 7.{{Cite web |last=Schube |first=Will |date=2022-09-20 |title=Willow Unveils Album Release Date And Tracklist, Announces 'SNL' Performance |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/willow-coping-mechanism-snl/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=uDiscover Music |language=en-US}} On October 3, Willow released "Split" as the album's fourth single.{{Cite web |last=Scarlett |first=Liz |date=2022-10-04 |title=Willow shares love for Deftones and Lamb Of God, says metal has been gatekept by old white men for too long |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/willow-shares-love-for-deftones-and-lamb-of-god-says-metal-has-been-gatekept-by-old-white-men-for-too-long |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Louder Sound |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Rowley |first=Glenn |date=2022-10-03 |title=Willow Teases Second 'SNL' Appearance in a Year: 'S——g My Pants Slightly' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/willow-saturday-night-live-musical-guest-second-appearance-one-year-1235149145/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}} Coping Mechanism was released on October 7, through Roc Nation and MSFTSMusic.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Kyann-Sian |date=2022-10-07 |title=Willow – 'CopingMechanism' review: boundary-pushing star finesses her sound |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/willow-coping-mechanism-review-3324657 |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} The following day, Willow performed two tracks on the album, "Ur a Stranger" and "Curious/Furious" on Saturday Night Live.{{Cite web |last=Shutler |first=Ali |date=2022-10-09 |title=Watch Willow deliver a punishing two-song set on 'SNL' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-willow-deliver-a-punishing-two-song-set-on-snl-3325385 |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}

Coping Mechanism is a pop punk, emo, grunge rock, and hard rock album with elements of metal, post-hardcore, gothic rock, ska punk, indie rock, screamo, guitar pop, R&B, and "avant-garde electro".

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.4/10{{Cite web |title=CopingMechanism by Willow reviews|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/13451/Willow-COPINGMECHANISM.aspx |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=AnyDecentMusic?}}

| MC = 82/100{{Citation |title=Coping Mechanism by Willow |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/copingmechanism/willow |language=en |access-date=2022-10-28|publisher=Metacritic}}

| rev1 = DIY

| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web |title= Willow, Coping Mechanism - Review |url=https://diymag.com/2022/09/23/willow-coping-mechanism-album-review |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=DIY |date=September 23, 2022 |language=en}}

| rev2 = Evening Standard

| rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Smyth |first=David |date=2022-10-06 |title=Willow - Coping Mechanism review: Pop punk might just be her calling |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/willow-coping-mechanism-review-album-b1030495.html |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}

| rev3 = Exclaim!

| rev3score = 7/10{{cite web |last=Ciubotaru |first=Noah |date=October 6, 2022 |title=Willow Breaks Through on 'CopingMechanism' |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/willow_copingmechanism_album_review |access-date=October 7, 2022 |website=Exclaim!}}

| rev4 = Gigwise

| rev4score = {{rating|7|10}}{{Cite web |title=Album Review: Willow - Coping Mechanism |url=https://www.gigwise.com/reviews/3427223/album-review--willow-coping-mechanism- |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=Gigwise}}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}

| rev6 = Kerrang!

| rev6score = 4/5{{Cite web |title=Album review: Willow – Coping Mechanism |url=https://www.kerrang.com/album-review-willow-smith-coping-mechanism-pop-punk-rock-metal/ |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=Kerrang! |date=October 7, 2022 |language=en}}

| rev7 = MusicOMH

| rev7score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite web |title=Willow – Coping Mechanism |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/willow-coping-mechanism|access-date=October 13, 2022 |date=October 11, 2022|website=Kerrang! |language=en}}

| rev8 = NME

| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}

| rev9 = Pitchfork

| rev9score = 6.7/10{{Cite web |title=Willow – Coping Mechanism |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/willow-copingmechanism/|last=Haile|first=Heven|access-date=October 13, 2022 |date=October 13, 2022|website=Pitchfork |language=en}}

| rev10 = The Telegraph

| rev10score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite news |last=Raza-Sheikh |first=Zoya |date=2022-10-07 |title=Paul Heaton lacks imagination, The Cult have flashes of greatness – the week's best albums |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/best-albums-week-cult-willow-smith-snuts-bush-reviews/ |access-date=2022-10-09 |issn=0307-1235}}

}}

Coping Mechanism received acclaim upon release, with Metacritic awarding the album 82/100 based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian said that Coping Mechanism "sounds confident", and called it the work of an artist who knows their sound is popular at the moment. Petridis said the album was his favorite of the week.{{Cite web |last=Petridis |first=Alexis |author-link=Alexis Petridis |date=2022-10-06 |title=Willow: Coping Mechanism review {{!}} Alexis Petridis's album of the week |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/06/willow-coping-mechanism-review |access-date=2022-10-06 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} Maura Johnston of Rolling Stone called Coping Mechanism a must-hear album. She commented that Willow's artistic ambition was matched in the record's quality.{{Cite magazine |last=Johnston |first=Maura |author-link=Maura Johnston |date=2022-10-04 |title=Willow Thrillingly Mashes Up Rock History On 'Coping Mechanism' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/willow-coping-mechanism-1234603156/ |access-date=2022-10-06 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}} Kyann-Sian Williams for NME said that Willow adds "a new level of maturity" to her songs and you can tell that Willow is using her own influences "to make her own seminal sound."

Concluding the review for AllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung called the album a, "head-spinning journey is a thrill to experience and, clocking in at less than a half hour, fit for repeat listens." and claimed that, "While much of Willow's charm lies in the way she can switch genres with ease, Coping Mechanism is so engaging that it'd be nice for her to stick to this sound for at least one more album before continuing her ever-riveting evolution."{{Cite web |last=Yeung |first=Neil Z. |date=2022-10-07 |title=Willow - 'Coping Mechanism' Album Reviews, Songs & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/coping-mechanism-mw0003777893 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=AllMusic |language=en-US}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing for Coping Mechanism

| title1 = Maybe It's My Fault

| writer1 = {{hlist|Willow|Chris Greatti|Asher Bank}}

| length1 = 2:42

| title2 = Falling Endlessly

| writer2 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti|Bank}}

| length2 = 2:54

| title3 = Curious/Furious

| writer3 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti}}

| length3 = 3:04

| title4 = Why?

| writer4 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti|Bank}}

| length4 = 2:58

| title5 = Coping Mechanism

| writer5 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti}}

| length5 = 2:45

| title6 = Split

| writer6 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti|Bank}}

| length6 = 3:21

| title7 = Hover Like a Goddess

| writer7 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti}}

| length7 = 2:23

| title8 = Ur a Stranger

| writer8 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti}}

| length8 = 2:05

| title9 = Perfectly Not Close to Me

| note9 = with Yves Tumor

| writer9 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti|Yves Tumor}}

| length9 = 1:52

| title10 = No Control

| writer10 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti}}

| length10 = 2:48

| title11 = Batshit!

| writer11 = {{hlist|Willow|Greatti|Bank|Liam Hall}}

| length11 = 2:22

| total_length = 29:14

}}

Notes

• "Maybe It's My Fault" is stylized as " it's my fault"
• "Curious/Furious" is stylized in lowercase
• "Why?" and "Batshit!" are stylized in all caps
• "Coping Mechanism" is stylized as ""
• "Hover Like a Goddess" is stylized as "hover like a GODDESS"
• "Ur a Stranger" is stylized as "ur a "
• On some digital platforms, the clean version of "Batshit!" is simply titled "Track 11"

Musicians

• Willow – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 3–11)
• Chris Greatti – guitar (all tracks), bass guitar (1–5, 7–9), drums (3, 9), percussion (3), background vocals (4)
• Asher Bank – drums (1, 2, 4–8, 10, 11)
• Ryan Wheeler – bass guitar (6, 10)
• Yves Tumor – background vocals (9)
• Zach Tenorio – Mellotron, piano (10)
• Liam Hall – organ (10); Mellotron, programming, synthesizer (11)
• Brad Bowers – bass guitar (11)

Technical

• Chris Greatti – production, engineering
• Yves Tumor – production (9)
• Liam Hall – additional production (11)
• Randy Merrill – mastering
• Mitch McCarthy – mixing
• Dave Kutch – immersive mix engineering (3)

{{reflist}}

{{Willow Smith}}

Category:2022 albums

Category:Willow Smith albums

Category:Emo albums by American artists

Category:Pop punk albums by American artists

Category:Grunge albums