Artists like The Glass Child are exactly why reviewers
keep writing, for the sheer opportunity to run across an artist with such great
promise that you’re sure to find yourself saying one day, “Yeah, I was
listening to them back in the day.” Yes, friends, The Glass Child and her
latest release, I Must Be Gone And Live,
Or Stay And Die is that type of album, the elusive diamond in the rough
that helps keep reviewers like me going when all the music threatens to sound
the same.
Yes, kids, it’s a great album and is one you’ll be
glad to give a listen to when you get a chance.
The Glass Child, better known to her friends and
family as Charlotte Eriksson, is an artist who gives new life to the concept of
fully believing in her dream, leaving home at the tender age of eighteen to move
to London, dedicating herself mind, body, and soul to her craft. And over four
years, largely due to her ability to harness the power of social media, the
artist has released five EPs and a full length record, scored high on the
charts, and is now set to release her latest offering, I Must Be Gone And Live, Or Stay And Die.
Eriksson operates in a creative space that’s very
alternative pop, drawing favorable comparisons to artists like Florence and the
Machine and Paramore yet her sound is still resolutely hers as listeners will
find through the thirteen tracks found here. Her voice is strong and resolute,
her phrasing beyond her years, giving her a stiff leg up on the competition as
she delivers soulful takes all along the way.
“The Fall” is an instant hit right off the bat with
great lyrics like “I never knew that love could be/This much pain and misery”
while surrounded by emotive keyboards and a warm, acoustic-based arrangement that
frames the artist’s voice perfectly. Some eclectic percussion infuses “Heroes”
before the artist lets loose and lets the rock out, her voice showing its full
range and impressing while “Yesterday” showcases her voice against an acoustic
guitar backdrop, her passion evident throughout.
“I’m Hidden So Well” is an inviting contrast between
subdued tones and rocking notes, fueled with raging guitars and pounding
guitars while “Winter Girls” is pleasingly experimental and atmospheric, hitting
a stride at the end that presses things forward to the end. A poignant piano
intro lays the groundwork for that ultimate question of youth, “Who Am I,”
infusing some near reggae tones within before “London” offers up more acoustic
vibes.
Relational angst colors the pulsing beat of “The
Water’s Edge,” resounding guitar threads providing extra emotion as “Running Up
That Hill” showcases Eriksson’s vocal creativity, layering vocals over against
a sparse piano lead that is one of the more intriguing tracks to be found here.
“Who I’ve Grown to Be” celebrates the artist’s journey to this point, breathing
in the victory of her accomplishments and hard work with humility and honesty
while “I Took His Smile Away” is a rocking explosion tempered by moments of
quiet, Eriksson’s voice haunting. Things arrive at a close with an unplugged
version of “The Water’s Edge,” still powerful in its stripped down setting and
acoustic track, “Lonely In This Love,” which ends things on a high note.
I
Must Be Gone And Live, Or Stay And Die is a great album from
a wonderfully promising artist. If the Fates go the way of justice, this is an
artist that we’ll all be glad to say that we were listening to back in the day
for the road is bright ahead of this budding star.
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