Well, it’s my first day of being self-employed and truly living the dream. I’m honestly already overwhelmed and stressed to the max. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it and I knew it would take more than just a few hours to really let the idea of this being my life now to sink in. Regardless, I need some more to help keep me motivated and feeling like I am, well, living the dream. Is ‘The Polaroid EP’ from Norman Lake going to be the thing that does the trick?
This quick five-song EP kicks off with “Polaroid”. The sense of calm that I so badly needed this afternoon instantly took over my house as this song started pumping out of my speakers. A little atmospheric with strong acoustic guitars and a hazy vocal instantly drew me into Norman Lake’s world. The lyrics in this opening track hit me right in the gut. “Why does everything hurt?” Although the words don’t quite apply to the excitement I’m feeling today, they apply to so many other times where I’ve felt so lost and I can’t wait to be able to pull this track out during those times in order to find a sense of warmth and comfort.
The beauty of Norman Lake continues with “Maybe”. Another track that instantly hooked me because of the lyrics and conviction with which they are sung, Norman Lake shows a little edge of frustration and aggression in both the guitar playing and vocals of this track. Although this song has a different mood to it with this almost darkened edge, there’s no denying who it is just due to the overall composition of the track and the distinct vocals. Part of me wishes the recording quality was just a bit more polished but another part of me loves the raw effect of the recording because it truly gives this song a sense of depth.
I’ll be honest, this EP may not have been the right choice for me for this exact time just due to the more subdued nature of it and me needing a little bit of a pick me up as I forge ahead through my afternoon but the beauty in “Visitor” gave me this odd sense of energy and motivation. I’m not quite sure how to explain it but, although slow, soft, and beautiful, there’s a driving force behind this track that is so beautiful and so, well, energetic. You get to see that energy come to fruition in “Natalie”, the fourth track on this EP. Taking a bit of the aggression felt in “Maybe” but adding a bit of speed, this track has an almost retro feeling to the vocals and guitar work. Although my heart so desperately wanted some drums or something to help just beef up the overall sound, I get it and feel like anything else would have made this brilliant track feel muddy. “Natalie” is absolutely a stand-out track on this EP and my favorite although it feels so different than the previous songs.
Things calm back down as the album comes to a close with “Consume”. Although I loved the energy in “Natalie”, it just felt right for Norman Lake to end this beautiful EP on such a tender note. Instead of hints of aggression like heard in “Natalie and “Maybe”, there seems to be a bit more of angst in this one almost like Bright Eyes. This final track ebbs and flows in the most beautiful way and definitely acts as a brilliant exclamation point to a beautiful EP.
My Favorite Track(s): “Natalie”
For Fans Of: Gorgeous songs and words; Passion and Emotion
Mosh-ability: 1 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie slept on the back of the couch; Autumn hissed at the FedEx delivery man who just dropped off a package
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 6 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 6.8 out of 10
Check Out Norman Lake Here:
Check out ‘The Polaroid EP’ HERE!
Shameless Self Promotion- Donate Here To Keep This Blog Alive!
Check Out My New Playlist With All of My Favorite Songs HERE!
Leave a Reply