Sydney, Australia-based singer/songwriter, Abbey Lane recently released her six-song EP, Afterthoughts. She said of “Afterthoughts is an amalgam of perspectives on relationships, with all songs circling the theme of things that didn’t get to be said and also reflecting on a relationship in hindsight.” While that description makes it sound like the album should be meditative and solemn, the album delivers some surprisingly upbeat content.
Take opening track “My Mistake” as a prime example. Begin with electric guitar strums, Lane’s vocals come lilting in before jaunty drums are added to the mix. Instrumentally, the song recalls 2000s indie rock bands like the Wombats or the Fratellis but the big difference is Lane. The verse’s lilting vocals give way to an arena-sized chorus with Lane belting out the hook.
The belting doesn’t stop with the second track, nor does the jauntiness. While “Shot in the Dark” does have a little more melancholic of a tone, it still packs a punch and keeps the album uptempo.
“Constellations” is the first real ballad with dreamy guitar arpeggios and a mid-tempo beat but it leads to the slowest song on the album, the sparsely instrumented “Darling.” Subtle drums and finger-plucked acoustic guitar back Lane’s tenderest lyrics. “Stuck in that Moment” seems to carry on the trend that started with “Darling.” Reverb-drenched guitar arpeggios back Lane’s lyrics of yearning but a mid-way tempo change turns “Stuck in that Moment” into a straight ahead rock track. The driving drums and electric guitars recall Paramore or more recently Olivia Rodrigo. Album closer, “State of Mind” picks right up where “Stuck in that Moment” left off. It is a true rock song, albeit with a little less punk edge and its lyrics about going from lovers to acquaintances is relatable but adds to a sense of melancholy.
While most of the songs are strong, Afterthoughts biggest triumph is its sequencing. It takes the listener on a journey through different tempos and moods but the transition is seamless. Many other albums that try this seem like elevators popping open to different floors, Abbey Lane’s EP is an escalator smoothly delivering you to each destination.
Rating: 6.9/10
