cim·som·ni·ac

A friend recommended Charlie Leavy to me, and I am glad she did! It is very rare to hear such honesty in someones lyrics these days, combined with catchy chords and a sound that sounds very unique, yet somehow familiar. Most importantly, it is really refreshing to hear music that sounds like it is written because the artist really felt strong about the things she sings about, not because she wants fame, fortune or both. Her EP ‘The Best Damn Ride’ is full of personal, very deep and meaningful songs.

The EP starts off with the song ‘The Way Life Is’, and this song is instantly likeable if you have an ear for good music. I love the funky electric guitar in the intro, and it really leads you into the song very nicely. But what is special about this song is the almost brutal honesty that Charlie Leavy has about life - in this song she pretty much describes the majority of Britain’s (and perhaps the rest of the western worlds) youth, and what is wrong with them and the lives they are trying to live and you just have to give her credit for being so honest. She is probably one of a very few artists who can still get away with rhyming ‘school’ with ‘cool’ and make it sound amazing. I would almost go as far as saying that this song has the same potential as Ed Sheerans ‘A Team’.

The second song is called ‘Tongue Tied’. This song is my favourite song on the EP, and it is outstanding. I expected a love song with chords and words that I have heard hundreds of times previously, and I have to say this is the case, but what I didn’t expect was that she’s actually using just the right words with just the right chords to make this song actually a lot better than most other songs with the same theme. The song starts off quite happy sounding, it leads you into the song perfectly and carries you all the way to the chorus. The chorus is worth mentioning, because it is incredibly catchy. It is very rare that I hear a song for the first time, and I can immeadiately see it being played on all major radio stations and youtube channels that are into this kind of music. With a chorus like that, I wouldn’t be surprised if this would actually happen, should this song be released as a single and marketed the right way.

'Summers Day Runaway' is again a serious Song, but completely different to 'The Way Life Is'. With this song Charlie Leavy really shows her versatility, and her vocals are also worth mentioning, especially in this song, as she effortlessly hits the higher notes each and every single time. Her voice is very warm sounding and it is very easy to listen to. Yet there is a certain power to it and she can definitely sound very expressive if she wants to. 'Falter Baby' has again got a very catchy chorus, that will just instantly get stuck in your head and you will find yourself humming this song all day long (which is a good thing, really). This song is kept quite simple with just acoustic guitar and a little percussion, but this suits the song and actually highlights the fact that this artist does not need to hide behind distorted guitars.

'Running My Mouth' has almost got a little spanish-guitar flair to it, and this song is very easy to listen to once again. For the song 'Why Are You Waiting', I actually found a live version on Youtube, and I have to say her voice blows me away. You can almost tell this artist is born to sing. Not only is her vocal range amazing, she also has a clear talent for coming up with amazing lyrics!

The EP ends with the song ‘Wearing Your Kiss’, and it happens to be a live version of the song. Just like the previous song, her voice is outstanding and the lyrics are very well written. I love the line ‘baby what you do to me, I’m pretty sure that it’s not right, when it feels this damn good, why would I wannna’ fight’.

All in all this is a great EP that I would definitely recommend to anyone who is into acoustic music with deep lyrics and amazing vocals! The track that stands out the most for me is ‘Tongue Tied’, so if you only have time for one track, listen to that one! Highly recommended!