By Robin Ervolina
She’s just a heartbroken girl in her shitty apartment in Brooklyn.
Not my words. No hate. I’m quoting Alyse Vellturo of pronoun, and I’m referring to the four-song EP there’s no one new around you. I love a little emotive expression, so with the visual of a lonely, broken girl penning and recording in the corner of a shoddy room, I push play.
The intrigue that ensues is delightful. I can’t quite genre pin-point it. Opening track "a million other things" is pop flavored, but it's not pop. Carefully placed lyrical recitations drive home pertinent messages, which are many in this first track alone. Catchy and dreary, this has cross-genre appeal with its 80s euro-pop influence and low raspy vocals. "til your legs give up" opens with a space rock intro, and Vellturo's vocals call to mind an early Paula Cole. Her emotive presentation of complex emotions ease the listener toward a transcendent journey to a destination of their choosing.
I have to love "just cause you can't" just because I can. This Jon Hughes throwback tune, had it been released a few decades ago, would have been the Kleenex-endorsed finale underscoring the moment when Boy realizes he loves Girl. This is deliciously ironic as it’s not a love song at all, but rather an introspective conversation about a relationship that is purely one-sided.
there's no one new around you did its job introducing pronoun, but did nothing to help me box up and label her "indie" or "alt" or "pop." Thank God. I’m excited to say this is not the first genre-defying CD that’s hit my desk this year, but none have elicited more curiosity than pronoun.
Check out there's no one new around you, streaming on Spotify now.
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