Susannah Joffe’s newest EP, Cult Leader, is full of Americana inspired pop ballads and represents the lengths that love and heartbreak brings us to. Susannah Joffe is a singer-songwriter originally from Austin, Texas. She has had recent success on social media, particularly with the song, “Die Your Daughter”, which was on her last EP, Your Mother’s Name. But, Joffe has taken a new look on life on Cult Leader, and it’s full of spite, lovelust, heartbreak, and reflection.
The EP’s title track, “Cult Leader”, sets up the theme as Joffe plays spacey pop with a dark country twang. Joffe’s airy vocals sing about americana ideals and tropes while she professes her love-hatred for an ex-lover and his new flame.
As she sings about her confidence in her superiority, a deep jealousy underlies within her words and sets up a complex narrative of love and the inability to move on. Joffe’s vocals are the shining star of this track as her voice ebbs and flows throughout the verses and chorus (reminiscent of Lana Del Rey), and the instrumentals take the backseat to fully allow Joffe to have her moment.
“Antler Queen” keeps up the spaciness that is a mainstay throughout the EP, moving further away from country influence. It’s a bittersweet romance ballad that explores unrequited love and yet again the struggle to move on. The chorus is infectious with a driving drum beat and Joffe’s love proclamations such as, “I’ll shoot you up, Get high on reluctant love.”
The instrumentals on “Antler Queen” are extremely chill with sweet guitars and a stable percussion section to pick up the chorus. As she concludes the song, she reinforces her love’s bittersweetness as she says, “I pledge my heart to you my antler queen.”
“You’d Kill Me If You Could” is a stripped back ballad that sonically serves as a break in the EP’s sound and leans into a 90’s sound. Joffe has given up the loud emotions present in the previous two tracks, and has become sorrowful and reflective. The heartbreaking lyrics portray a harmful relationship and her dealing with the emotional aftermath.
The echoey vocals, acoustic guitars and stripped back percussion, make the song feel like it could’ve been written 30 years ago. Bright synths work with Joffe in the bridge, as she repeats, “Like mother, like daughter.” The phrase is almost a mantra, increasing in intensity the more Joffe says it, and deepens the song’s meaning when you consider the cycle of abuse and what people pass down with them.
“Shit Out Of Luck” is a hazy heartbroken ballad that speaks to unfulfillment and unresolved promises. It is threatening, vengeful and passionate, as she sings, “I’ve got passion and I’ve got a gun.” Electric guitars squeal in the background and Joffe employs a strong percussion section yet again. Joffe’s vocals are the shining star on this track as she uses layered harmonizations to sing words of spite and biblical musings.
“Sofia Coppola” went mildly viral on social media and is a bright lesbian pop power ballad. The song is flirty and full of lust and unabashed attraction. The prechorus is infectious and feels almost like a nursery rhyme, which leads into the double infectious chorus in which she professes, “Idolize you, My Sofia Coppola.”
The bridge is wonderfully layered and Joffe’s vocal capability is put right on display in this track. “Sofia Coppola” is a gorgeous listening experience and uses a blend of strings, synths and percussion, which culminates into a twinkly and magical song about bright eyed love and attraction.
Joffe leans into another consistent trope present on the EP as she writes about a love-hate relationship in “Call Me Pretty.” It’s a complicated dynamic of wanting to both be devalued but cherished as she sings, “I’m your dog and nothing more.” It’s a casual relationship gone wrong, as she invests more than her lover. Her breathy vocals in contrast to the heavy electric guitars build power and tension in the song. The guitars aid Joffe in relaying the final rendition of the chorus and concludes the heartbreakingly honest and self deprecating track.
The EP finishes off strong with the final two tracks, “Stillborns and Six Lane Highways” and “Horses Can’t Outrun Me.” “Stillborns” discusses biblical conflict and terror, as she speaks directly to the people that peddle hate singing, “Heaven hates you” repeatedly. The melodic guitars backing instrumentals are stunning as the beat uplifts the depressive nature of the song. Her echoey and hazy vocals blend amazingly and the rich instrumentals coupled with the lyrics behind create a complex and enjoyable listening experience.
“Horses Can’t Outrun Me” is an excellent end to the EP and is a highlight of the tracklist. Joffe’s bright vocals begin the song as she sings the chorus. A deep electronic bass beat is introduced as she sings of feeling freed of a suffocating relationship and environment. She strips it down and speaks in the pre chorus and then dives into her airy vocals once again.
There is a deep, radical sense of freedom as the lightness of her vocals and the bright guitars, keys and drum beats feed into the energy of the song. As Joffe sings, “Heaven’s where you can’t reach” she ties all of the themes on the EP into one reflecting upon freedom, religious ideation, relationship issues, love, and heartbreak. We are allowed the opportunity to watch Joffe grieve, grow, and change, as we watch her learn and reflect upon her experiences and heartbreak.
It’s an exciting high to leave off on and leaves us wondering what will Joffe take on next in her musical journey? Cult Leader asks a lot and leaves behind very little, as Joffe proves her vocal and musical capabilities and has created a piece of work that is sonically and narratively consistent and clean.
Wednesday’s single “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” signals the beginning of a new era for the band, and gives audiences the first taste of their new unreleased album, Bleed. “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” is the follow up single to “Elderberry Wine”, which embraced a more light romantic tone compared to their newest single, which is darker and heavier.
Karly Hartzman does what she did best on the band’s last album, Rat Saw God, which is to write heartbreakingly real and specific lyrics that somehow have a universal quality to them. “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” embraces Hartzman’s literary passion for a narrative, and portrays the darkness and irony of the human experience with lines like, “Mounted antlers in the kitchen on a crooked nail.”
The absurdities present in Hartzman’s narrative are juxtaposed with haunting statements like, “Your faceless fear gathers like a mob.” The lyrics are not the only contrasts within the track, as Hartzman’s vocals drastically shift from the beginning to the end of the song. She starts off soft and melodic, and by the track’s conclusion, goes into a full scream. It represents the turmoil that the song offers, and contributes to its chaos.
The instrumentals are divinely executed, as Hartzman’s vocal desperation becomes increased, so does the band. The guitars are heavy and distorted and the drums have an uplifting steadiness to them. From beginning to end, the guitars follow the vocals lead, and serve to emphasize the turbulent narrative within the song.
The instrumentals truly shine during the two instrumental breaks which hike up the action and discordance to create a symphony of angst and turmoil. The track closes with loud heavy drums, screeching guitars, and screaming.
“Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” is representative of what Wednesday excels in, which is creating music with intense emotion and real life narratives packaged in beautiful lyrics and sounds.
Watch the music video for “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” here!
Foggieraw’s new single “Nefertiti” uses memory-inducing lyrics over a gentle jazz piano to depict 90’s nostalgia and childish love.
The jazzy piano melodies trigger both nostalgia and a sense of timelessness, as Foggieraw begins the song speaking to his “Nefertiti” directly. The premise of the song is a plea to remember the “good ol’ days” and the moments that they shared together, while also acknowledging their faults and insecurities as a couple.
“Nefertiti” is pumped full of references to everything from Betty Boop to Freaky Friday and Spykids. The nostalgia that Foggieraw employs on this track also plays into the immaturity of his love, as he begins to reveal the cracks and instability in his relationship.
He writes about fighting with her cousins, them fighting with each other, and with her friends. It paints a complicated picture of their attachment as even though they have deep love and a prolonged connection, their extended time in each other’s lives has created a muddy and messy situation. Foggieraw ends the song by restating that he does not like her friends, “I don’t like none of your friends, I don’t like Kiana, I don’t like Kiesha and I definitely don’t like Kiki,” which only emphasizes the complex relationship presented in the track.
Foggieraw’s style in “Nefertiti” leans towards conversational, as he uses the softness of the hypnotic backing piano to languidly rap his lyrics to his lover. His lyrics are what really shine as he is able to be honest, nostalgic, and exude confidence all in less than two and a half minutes. Foggieraw encapsulates his struggle in his relationship by saying, “I like you for who you is, you like me for the n**** I could be one day.”
Foggieraw has managed to create a love song that is both romantic and argumentative, which creates a listening experience that is raw, real and nostalgic. “Nefertiti” shows us that relationships are complicated experiences, but that love and romance often keeps us coming back for more.
La Raca Flaca taps into a new-age pop nostalgia on her most recent track “Peaks and Valleys.” “Peaks and Valleys” is an earnest pop track that explores love’s staying power, and its resistance to outside forces.
The song begins with a string arrangement that leans into the romance and allure of the track. La Raca Flaca’s voice then takes charge and with it comes a backing full of bass and synthy beats.
Her lyrics are conversational and are delivered as such, as she speaks to her lover directly, letting them know that outside barriers will not inhibit her love.
“Peaks and Valleys” chorus uplifts the narrative of the song as she further enforces her love’s staying power, and her confidence towards her relationship and its longevity. Her voice becomes stronger, and her message becomes even more powerful when she sings, “This special love will find a way.”
Throughout the verses, La Raca Flaca calls out to her lover creating an intimate bond within the song, and letting us in on her romance and its vulnerability. The song speaks to a greater union and alliance as she emphasizes the power that is created when her and her lover come together. The simplicity of the backing track gives La Raca Flaca the chance to speak to her lover with no distractions, and keeps the focus on her lyrics which are a declaration of unified love.
La Raca Flaca also released a music video which emphasizes the song’s title, “Peaks and Valleys”, as she walks through and exists within nature.
“Peaks and Valleys” is a testament to love and devotion, and La Raca Flaca’s lyrics capture the importance of the human ability to trust in love completely. This song is perfect for long distance relationships, reconnecting with a former flame, or really any relationship that’s ever had some sort of barrier. If you love emotional pop ballads, this one’s for you.
Ben Kweller is a well established musical artist currently located in Dripping Springs, Texas (another win for the Texas musical scene!) who is currently celebrating the his latest full-length, Cover the Mirrors. This is Kweller’s first release since the death of his son Dorian in 2023 and is dedicated to Dorian. The album explores the devastation and grief that Kweller experienced after his son’s passing, but it also delves into the multifaceted nature of grief to dismantle and alter every aspect of life.
Cover the Mirrors discusses what happens to you and the people around you after a loved one passes, and the alteration of daily life and experience. Kweller explores relationships, depression, emotional wellbeing, isolation, and so much more in this album. The album itself is a testament to the impact that the people we love have on us, and their permanence in our lives long after they are gone.
The first track, “Going Insane”, really sets the tone for the emotional exploration and absurdity the album presents to us. Kweller is talking about serious issues but he doesn’t shy away from making light out of a bad situation or being a little absurd at times. “Going Insane” is a steady piano ballad that explores desperation and dealing with life’s turmoils. This is contrasted by the lightness in lyrics such as “rattlesnake, carrot cake.” It creates an interesting juxtaposition as he writes that he and the people around him are all “balled up inside.” The orchestral strings are a nice touch to this lyrically experimental ballad on struggling through the days.
Cover the Mirrors has many amazing and big name features such as: Waxahatchee, Coconut Records, The Flaming Lips, and MJ Lenderman. “Dollar Store (feat. Waxahatchee)” further expands upon the idea of inner turmoil as he battles with the struggles and standstill of a relationship. Kweller battles wanting to keep trying but also not wanting to dwell on the struggle itself.
The chorus of the song is infectious and Waxahatchee’s vocals linger throughout the background which make for a delightful listening experience. Throughout the album, I noticed that Kweller loves a big outro to a song and this track is no exception as we end with the drums and guitar coming together to assist Kweller scream out the song’s chorus. The music video is a great visualizer for the song’s message and was filmed at Bluebonnet Food Mart and Heart of Texas Hotel right here in Austin, Texas!
“Depression (feat. Coconut Records)” is a sonic shift at this point in the album as they drop the overt folk sounds and lean into electronics and bass. This album has proved to be extremely thematically consistent, as Kweller continues to question his sadness and isolation. The bridge is a real standout on this one, as the drums dominate but allow for some beautiful backing melodies. The lyrics are heartbreakingly honest as Kweller writes, “I used to think that I was strong and tough, but I can’t even get through the day.”
The album feels like it is constantly in conversation with itself, and Kweller is further thinking about the quality and worthiness of his relationship, and his willingness to fight for it. “Don’t Cave” adopts a more hazy and hopeful tone as he navigates uncharted territory of “the goodbye we shouldn’t say” in his relationship. The instrumentals on this track culminate into an uplifting ballad that highlights each element (drums, strings and guitar) wonderfully.
“Optimystic” is one of the standout tracks on the record for me. It adopts a heavier and punky guitar tone and Kweller’s lyrics are a conversation to himself about his delicate mental state during this time. Definitely the most *mosh* worthy track on the album. The guitar tone is infectious and the chorus will definitely get stuck in your head. Also, Kweller’s coined phrase of “pill-popionaire” is just too good!
The music video is essential in my opinion to visualizing the track, and the playful animation done by Mystery Matter is wonderful and engaging.
“Killer Bee (feat. The Flaming Lips)” is yet another killer feature on the album. The song is sonically aligned with the rest of the album and the buzzing bee sound of the keyboard/synth is a great and interesting touch. The scaling guitar during the chorus highlights the song’s message of exploration and insecurity. Kweller posted a demo on Youtube much before the songs release, and the direction they took it in made for a dynamic and explorative listening experience post production.
Kweller’s lyrics are exceptional on this album and they get a chance to truly shine in “Letter to Agony” where he confessionally explores his depressive mental state and how that is affecting his attitudes towards his relationship. It has a similar sound to “Park Harvey Fire Drill”, a previous track on the album, but takes a much more serious tone. He discusses undesirable thoughts of wishing ill will on someone he loves and is remarkably self aware of his own shortcomings and chemical imbalances. The minor chords feed into this sorrowful tone, as he writes, “all of the toxic waste spewing from me tonight, I fear there’s no end in sight.” Kweller is quite literally isolated on this track, as it only features Kweller’s vocals and guitar.
Kweller not only writes about grief, but also how to fight through it. “Save Yourself” starts out with a simple guitar melody and by the chorus becomes a loud explosion of drums and guitar as Kweller fights his way to say, “Don’t let it beat you up.” This is a fight song against the dangers of grief as it emphasizes the importance of saving oneself from the “unknown loss”. The exciting instrumentals and conversation between the guitar and drums create a truly epic listening experience, and has the potential to be very motivating to anyone who has ever struggled through grief and loss.
“Oh Dorian (feat. MJ Lenderman)” is my favorite song off the album and is an excellent close to the deeply personal conversations we’ve had with Kweller as listeners throughout the album’s tracklist. The heartbreak in this song is not only caused by the loss of Dorian, but that Kweller allows us to know Dorian’s glowing personality and traits, and we learn to mourn alongside Kweller for his son.
The charming pianos introduce the song and give it a lighthearted and sweet tone, which coupled with the celebratory and beautiful lyrics about Dorian create a sonic memory and memorial. The electric guitar work from Lenderman and piano from Kweller on this track really highlight the beauty of him and Dorian’s relationship, ebbing and flowing into our ears and delivering the lyrics on a platter for our enjoyment. The lyrics are tear jerking but Kweller will make you smile through the tears as he writes about Dorian,
Crystal child, double-Gemini A million songs in his head Doesn’t care if you’re wrong or right He believes what you said
Kweller further creates an environment where we feel like we know Dorian through lyrics like,
Watch him glow and radiate When he walks through the door Understands a-what you say ’cause he’s been there before
Kweller paints a deeply personal picture on this track, and if you are going to listen to one song on the album this is most definitely the highlight. But I would really recommend listening to all of them! Kweller lets us in on life while battling grief, and how he is navigating the world without his son. He highlights the radically changing quality that grief has on you and the people you love, which makes this album so much more than grief itself.
Cover the Mirrors is a journey through Kweller’s mental, physical and emotional battles and he does not hold back. It is musically and lyrically explorative and provides the listener with sonically diverse tracks with clever and interesting lyrics. It may be about intense issues, but much of the album does not feel explicitly sad, but rather emotionally experimental. Ben Kweller has fully fleshed out what it means to grieve, and has created an album that is a testament to his love for not only his son, but his journey of loving and understanding himself and others.
