MUSIC REVIEW: ALICIA BLUE – Inner Child Work Part 2 [EP]

Label: Magnetic Moon

Release Date: March 3, 2023

Rating: 92%

Reviewer: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Building on her July 2022 EP, Alicia has dropped another five slices of goodness on us and I loved jumping into these tracks and being able to spread the word after some drop date delays.  Disc opener “Best Hands” opens with an almost haunting guitar riff that perfectly introduces the track as well as giving Blue some room to run and lace her vocal across.  The chorus hits and we get some edgy pop goodness racing through the speakers and grabbing your attention immediately.  Be sure to savor the different textures of Alicia’s vocals as the track progresses.  “Picasso Blue” has a garage feel to it that takes me back to a time when L7, Veruca Salt, and even Sleater-Kinney were dropping new music, especially if it were on the softer side sonically with all the attitude in the lyrics intact.  The musical accompaniment is a killer match to the vocals and the songs overall vibe.  “Young” is a different song musically compared to the others on the EP.  Throw in the addition of John Paul White on vocals with Alicia and you get a different road map that takes us on a slight detour without derailing the path cut previously.  This one has an almost ethereal feel to it.  “I Want It Faster” is another punk-tinted tune that blurs the lines between rock, pop, and punk that builds on the other tracks here and her previous EP that shows us yet another side to her songwriting, performing, and creativity.  Disc closer “Believer” has a slightly darker vibe woven into it that anchors the track, especially once Blue’s lighter vocals join the musical fray.  There is something about her sound that keeps me coming back time and time again, if only to see what else she is going to throw at us.  Let’s hope she gets out there and gives us all a live taste of the 10 collective tracks.

Tracklisting: Best Hands – Picasso Blue – Young – I Want It Faster – Believer

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Category: CD Reviews