Words: Ryan Getz

Lauryn Peacock exudes a quiet confidence that emerges earnestly in her latest record, titled Euphonia.

It would be easy to label Peacock as a pianist/singer-songwriter and call it a day. However, there is a subtle versatility in her songwriting that denies this idea as a possibility. I’ve now listened to these songs during day at work when few people were around, played live in a warm tent (while swatting away mosquitoes), midday in coffee shop known in my area for being somewhat of a hipster mecca, and now currently sitting at my dining room table at home, in the early AM.

The fullness of this record is something that people of many musical tastes should enjoy. “Fullness” is a word that came to me specifically while listening the album ender “Song In C Up North.” The song paradoxically remains consistent in feel yet meanders between warm and ethereal tones. Similarly, the balance of Euphonia feels appropriate in a variety of settings. The tunes provided this metalhead a nice break from the madness in the Black Sheep tent at Audiofeed Festival 2015.

The record feels nostalgic and vulnerable as well. The former characteristic shouldn’t be a surprise for those who know the backstory of the record – which gets its name from Peacock’s grandmother. The second point ought to be fairly obvious as well – especially as we hear her confess things like “sometimes I feel like an outlaw in my own skin” in an early line of “February Song.” I wonder if the vulnerability here points to a specific event in February or if it is a metaphor. February is sometimes thought of one of the hardest months of the year to get through, as people have to deal with dark evenings and are oft to grow tired of the winter by this point.

One could partake in an exegesis of each track like we did in miniature with “February Song,” but I’m not sure if Peacock wants that. I think she desires this record to serve as a catharsis for any listener as much as making it was for her.

Final thought: I wonder how much Death Cab For Cutie she was listening to at the time of this writing. I’m getting Ben Gibbard vibes. If none, it’s an interesting coincidence.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/197732199″  /]

Score: 4.2/5

Lauryn Peacock: iTunes | Official Site