UK rock musician and actor Kate Nash has completed her first new full-length since 2013's riot grrrl-influenced Girl Talk. Entitled Yesterday Was Forever, the crowdfunded LP finds Nash using her trademark honesty and pop sensibilities to create a melding of genres that express who she is today, ten years after the breakout success of her debut, Made of Bricks.
"Life In Pink," the album's opening track, features a catchy melody line coupled with punk aggression and a clear-eyed view of Nash's mental health. She possesses the ability to write about relationships in a big picture fashion, which also focuses on the simple comforts of companionship, heard in the playful indie rock of "Take Away." "Drink About You" is an explosive, poppy single that puts Nash's wonderfully insistent vocals on display. She flirts with R&B on "Body Heat," a percussion-guided, hook-laden jam. "Karaoke Bar" recalls Pet Shop Boys with its spoken word, synth-laden verses, while "Musical Theatre" is an empowering monologue.
Sometimes the way Nash has structured the songs becomes hard to follow, or downright abrasive, as heard in the vocal changes in "California Poppies." Yet there is always a feeling of purpose dictating the clear vision behind "ugly" moments. Yesterday Was Forever is perhaps best summarized via it's closer, "To The Music I Belong." Having been chewed up and spit out by the music industry was a difficult and unjust experience for Nash, but now she has developed a confidence and brazen approach that deserves a heartfelt welcome back.
(Independent)"Life In Pink," the album's opening track, features a catchy melody line coupled with punk aggression and a clear-eyed view of Nash's mental health. She possesses the ability to write about relationships in a big picture fashion, which also focuses on the simple comforts of companionship, heard in the playful indie rock of "Take Away." "Drink About You" is an explosive, poppy single that puts Nash's wonderfully insistent vocals on display. She flirts with R&B on "Body Heat," a percussion-guided, hook-laden jam. "Karaoke Bar" recalls Pet Shop Boys with its spoken word, synth-laden verses, while "Musical Theatre" is an empowering monologue.
Sometimes the way Nash has structured the songs becomes hard to follow, or downright abrasive, as heard in the vocal changes in "California Poppies." Yet there is always a feeling of purpose dictating the clear vision behind "ugly" moments. Yesterday Was Forever is perhaps best summarized via it's closer, "To The Music I Belong." Having been chewed up and spit out by the music industry was a difficult and unjust experience for Nash, but now she has developed a confidence and brazen approach that deserves a heartfelt welcome back.
