Post by lily mccarthy on Aug 2, 2024 5:30:10 GMT
 |
T W O Y E A R S A G O, Lily McCarthy snuck her way onto every sad girl summer playlist. Her sophomore album, In The Valley, struck the right chord at the right time; a haunting voice laid between synth-pop beats and folk undertones that edged the right line of dancing and sobbing. After a successful tour and multiple runs on the Billboard Hot 100 McCarthy is back with conviction, seemingly a little hurt and a little healed on her latest album, Bitter, Sweet. The ranging LP is a proper showcase of McCarthy’s talent as a storyteller, shedding cheeky innuendos and smokey choruses to pick apart the complicated process of falling in love and present it in a way that listens like a turning, twisting novel. Penned primarily by the singer herself, the groundwork gives longtime producer Ian Fitchuk plenty of breathing room to bring the story to life. A whipping, melodic beat drags up feelings thought long lost in the blustery opener, “Kick The Dust Up”, while “Risk”, a surprise debut at Governor’s Ball this past June, is a reminder of McCarthy’s pop sensibilities and the catchiness that comes with a sweet, consuming crush. But as the album progresses, so does the creeping sense that the walls will inevitably cave in. “Dial Tone” echoes caution down an open phone line, “lost in the static of momentary panic” sung like a confession that never made it out of her mouth. “Lip Service”, her lead single, provides a temporary salve that sets up “IKY”, a Norah Jones-esque dreamscape of intimacy and a standout reminder of the signature rasp that rattles her voice. ‘4:43’ is when they finally crumble and McCarthy is at her most devastating, its brutal bridge likely to incite Baylor Swift-fan levels of hysteria at its poignancy and directiveness. There’s a raw voice break kept intentionally in the middle, almost lost to the swell of the composition but thoughtfully deemed necessary, as if McCarthy wanted you to hear her heart break in real time. “It all goes quiet at 4:43,” she whispers at the end, a lone violin note weakly fading. Then a shaking breath, but no words further - as if she couldn’t bear to go on. McCarthy rebuilds from there. ‘Limerence’ comes shimmering with realization, a staccato beat plucking hopefully under the lilting lyrics and no doubt a glittering gem on the set list of her upcoming tour. It’s a healing revival of her warmth and commanding control, “Oh. OH” a shout-from-the-rafters anthem of self reflection and a campy nod to a romance-novel trope. It’s seemingly fitting that the last number is then called “Turn the Page”, a reminder of McCarthy’s repertoire and the warm undertone of relatability the LP carries as she looks back. A rare case where the sequel seems to eclipse its predecessor, Bitter, Sweet is a retelling of something that, upon further inspection, feels cleverly like the title itself: Bitter, memorable, and Sweet. ALBUM CONTENTS: *EDITOR PICKS 01. KICK THE DUST UP 02. RISK 03. DIAL TONE 04. LIP SERVICE 05. IKY 06. THE EXCHANGE 07. 4:43 08. CRAZY THINGS CAN HAPPEN 09. LIMERENCE 10. Oh. OH. 11. REPEAT AFTER ME 12. TURN THE PAGE |