EPs have a knack for falling out of view. When bigger projects with more demand and discussion are out there I don't quite give EPs the attention they deserve. But after hearing a very solid short-form project from Tkay Maidza I thought it was time to once again pay a visit to a handful of EPs I meant to cover from earlier in the year. Unfortunately as a group, they didn't turn out so great.
Rebecca Black Was Here EP - Rebecca Black
I think it was pretty much impossible to have any expectations for what direction Rebecca was going in prior to the release of this EPs singles. Given the unpredictable elements of her child sensation turned hyperpop badass career arc there were really all kinds of things that could happen here. As it turns out the results are pretty tame, a series of lovesick pop ballads with the occasional vocal effects or electronic twist, but nothing close to some of her recent key collaborators eccentricity. While none of these tracks are offensively bad Rebecca is having a massive personality crisis over these six songs. Identifying them as even coming from the same artist is nearly impossible, even the vocals make drastic leaps from one tune to the next. Which makes these songs feel like the pop picture that came with the frame with only a pair of exceptions. Hearing her pull heavily from Katy Perry and Kali Uchis on this EP does get old pretty quickly even if a lot of the sounds are in the realm of blissful pop simplicity. I should also note that there are some lyrical highlights on the EP with tracks like Personal and Girlfriend seeing Rebecca give her own spins on long running romantic lyrical narratives in pop music. While the EP is a mixed bunch the more disappointing element is how little it sounds like a definitive artist. Given how much infectious personality Rebecca has in her visuals and social media prescence all I can hope for is that her next release has sonic personality to match. 5.5/10
Every Window Is A Mirror EP - Joywave
Even though I'm not an active listener of the incredibly tame world of current alternative rock radio, Joywave is one of those bands that made their name through the medium but outlast it in terms of excitement delivered. Even though I wouldn't consider them likely to blow me away at many points they do occasionally drop some hard-hitting electronically tinged rock songs, which is what I was hoping for going into this EP. But save for an explosive hook or two I would consider this EP on the reserved side for the group. Thankfully I think it works with steady builds that make compelling moments and sentimentality that feels very genuine. I don't see this EP as anything that the band has never done before, but as somebody who always preferred their louder and more high octane cuts I am impressed with the means through which they've scaled up some of their more intimate cuts, even when the occasional rushes of instrumentation veer into arena sized cheese. 6/10
Our Extended Play EP - beabadoobee
I'll level with you guys this one was completely out of curiosity, a morbid one. I heard some people hyping up the Beabadoobee album that came out last year and I gave it an honest shot, but couldn't stomach the sickeningly sweet 90's nostalgia. So when I saw some people talking about the opening track from this EP Last Day On Earth I had to give it a shot, and I think it's the worst song I've heard in 2021 point blank. From the sassy vocals to the meaningless jumbled hook it is the very definition of true 90's corn from start to finish. The whole thing sounds like a 1975 song if you stripped out all the personality, fun performances, good songwriting and originality. Fittingly enough Matt and George from The 1975 had a hang in the writing and production of the song, as well as all the others here. You could seriously slip this track into a playlist alongside MMMbop and Tubthumping and nobody would bat an eye. So I just had to know if the whole EP was going to be this much of a nostalgic disaster, turns out it isn't. The second track Cologne has some slightly sour guitars that actually get to wailing away in the background, and the songwriting isn't nearly as painful. Unfortunately Animal Noises is similarly rough 1975 worship with vocals that I really just can't find anything definitive to even describe about them, He Gets Me So High is just as sweet but I find it slightly more tolerable, almost entirely from the hook being slow and dry but just catchy enough to stick with me for a bit after I hear it. This and the previous song are definitely the lyrical lowlights but I don't even want to get into that because I think it would start to feel like bullying and I'm sure everyone involved with beabadoobee are nice people. Once the call and response vocals start to emerge on the closing track I am beyond over it with this EP and I'm not sure I'll have the curiosity to try any more of the bands music going forward. 2/10
