English singer songwriter Polly Scattergood’s blends emotional lyrics with soundscapes of the same nature on her self-titled debut album. Her dark, intensely vivid lyrics invite listeners to hang on every word while the brooding backdrops evoke sadness. The first three tracks have Scattergood quietly singing the blues over indie power ballads, quite the drag to begin your debut album with. For example, “I Hate the Way” has Scattergood uncomfortably close to the microphone as she expresses the pain from an ex-lover.
However, “Please Don’t Touch” is delightfully upbeat and poppy with catchy lyrics to boot. But this unfortunately is the only track of its kind as the rest return to the state of depression witnessed toward the beginning of the record. “Poem Song,” at a little over six minutes, seems to drag on with Scattergood’s downtrodden lyrics over a glacial piano/violin medley.
Polly Scattergood’s dark lyrics set on a monotonous sonic stage make this a painful listen. The occasional slow track turned power ballad and the single quirky pop tune are not nearly enough to rescue this record from the depths of the depressing ditch it dug itself into.
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