Back in my early days, I remember listening to Maroon 5’s album ‘Songs of Jane’ and getting my mind blown because of how good it was to a point that I want to gatekeep it to myself but at the same time, I want to share to my friends because I know they would be missing out on that ‘Prime’ Maroon 5 sound. That’s exactly how I feel when I finished listening to Louisa Rowley’s EP, ‘Anxious Soul: Deluxe Edition.’ Join me as I talk about this EP in depth and why it’s just that good.
The ‘Anxious Soul: Deluxe Edition’ EP started with this funky track titled ‘STOP!’ What I like about this song is how catchy the chorus hook is. Aside from it being groovy and bluesy, it has this mainstream pop element because of how simple and direct the hook and the overall lyrical progression are. The chorus is short and repetitive, making it easy to remember, and I think that’s how successful songs work. Making the hook simple, short, and repetitive.
‘To Be Me’ is that dark blues hit that is hard to ignore because of its pocket groove and how simply funky the track is, even though it has a slow tempo. It got that funkiness because of that accented hit that the guitar and drums are doing all throughout the track. That ‘falling down the stairs’ kind of feel to it added texture to the overall production of the song.
The intro to ‘A Peaceful Retirement’ reminds me of that psychedelic intro that the Beatles did with ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’ It sounds trippy because of that flanger mixed with chorus and tremolo guitar effect that created this out-of-tune guitar sound. It’s a vibe, and yeah, it’s cool! The accented guitar and drums style lifted the track into a somewhat song that fits the early 2000s vibe. What I’m saying is, it sounds timeless.
‘Move On’ is a bass guitar-driven track because of the groovy bass licks, and the instrument is the front and center of the track. What i appreciate about the track is it’s out of the box thinking. Most of the time, if that track is around the blues and funk genre, most, if not all, gravitate towards the guitar and keys, but this particular track elevated bass players to a whole different level.
And we have the acoustic versions of ‘A Peaceful Retirement’ and ‘Move On’, and honestly, these tracks are the perfect songs to strip down and enjoy in their bare skin. ‘A Peaceful Retirement’ is a raw and, from the title itself, peaceful track that will leave you in awe for a few minutes. ‘Move On,’ on the other hand, is still that groovy track, but the acoustic version is that perfect song to introduce to your friends on a jam night because of how simple and groovy it is when played in the guitar.
Louisa Rowley’s EP, ‘Anxious Soul: Deluxe Edition,’ is that EP that you want to gatekeep because of how authentic and cool it is, and on the other hand, it’s the EP that you want to spend hours on because of how authentic and cool it is. That speaks volumes.
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About the Author
He has been in the music industry for two and a half decades. Currently, he plays bass guitar for a rock-reggae band called EnjointPh and a funk-fusion trio called Banky. He also hosts a podcast titled Usapang Musiko with Ervin Besana, which explores topics such as music, arts, and philosophy.
