Last couple of rounds, I left it a bit late so this one I am trying to comment as I go for a change. And see what that ends up shaping into.
This is also a response prompted by you, rather than strictly To you.
While my overall take will probably differ, I think your last paragraph/Ps is probably where my first impression ended.
Unlike you, I am at times a bit of a sucker for pleasantish teengirl banal pop candyfloss. I admit to from time to time sticking on a bit of Chvrches, Haerts, and have probably heard more Taylor than I am consciously aware of. One of my more enoyable recent live gigs was a surprise band Kississipi. All of which I mention, because of their similarities to this that struck me.
Where this seems to differ, is that immediate wrestle between being purely that, i.e. an accessible pop record, and trying to be something more, edgier and deeper.
So far, I find it jarring and uncomfortable. I kind find myself hopeing it just stuck to the pop and voice. Possibly because, at this point, it feels more like she is trying something just to differentiate it from others, rather than commiting to trying to say something. Not sure. Maybe the next couple listens it will all click and that dynamic and tightrope juggle could be exactly what has drawn someone like Fog to it. Let's see.