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Meg Myers releases debut album

“Sorry” brings a dark twist to a variety of pop styles

A few minutes into the opening track of her debut album “Sorry,” Meg Myers samples an interview, saying, “[The songs are] not sad. That’s just the way it goes…”

This idea of a darker undercurrent to Myers’ catchy songwriting is what really makes her first album so compelling. There’s a real sense of grit and pain throughout the tracks — even at their most polished. This common thread strung throughout an impressive variety of songs keeps “Sorry” unapologetically coherent for its entire 41 minute duration. “Sorry” reveals an artist a bit too dark for radio-play but just accessible enough for anyone to enjoy.

The first half of the album is where most of Myers’ pop genius lies. Opener “Motel” is an immediate highlight, with a soft and luscious chorus against a backdrop of subdued “woah-oh-oh’s” that introduces the slightly-seductive side of Myers’ vocal repertoire. The songs feature larger and more pop centric choruses than before, Myers shows she has the pop sensibility to be accessible with the variety and talent to remain interesting. Her formula peaks at the album’s highlight — “Desire” — where Myers delivers lines like “I want to skin you with my tongue,” while walking the line between sultry seductress and depraved stalker. Based around an unsettling piano line, twisted shouts of “How do you want me, how do you want me” and an injection of a 90s grunge guitar solo, “Desire” is unsettling but nevertheless entices the listener to come back for more.

“Sorry” takes on a quieter tone for its second half, with Myers bringing in a more subdued set of songs, and a shift from instruments to her vocals casts light on a few poor lyrical decisions. Although “I Really Want You To Hate Me” is just as melodramatic as the title suggests, there’s not a single song that isn’t saved by Myers’ exquisite vocal performance and stellar choruses.

“Lemon Eyes” relies on the same 90s guitar style as “Desire,” but paired with an immediately gratifying and memorable chorus. The rest of the second half lacks this upfront accessibility, but retains the general theme of varied styles with a dark twist to keep it interesting enough.

Everything about “Sorry” demonstrates an incredibly promising start for budding artist Meg Myers. She has the voice of an angel put to use by her inner demons, and as long as she continues to play off of that paradox, her best is yet to come.

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