Hatchie
Despite how the number makes me feel old, having a touch of the ’90s isn’t a bad thing. Hatchie certainly captures the sound of that glittering bygone era in spades. Her music reminds me a little of Natalie Imbruglia (I’m fairly certain it’s not because she is also Australian).
The slow, dreamy melodies of “Sure” and “Try,” especially the bright guitar and harmony, seem like they could float on forever. This is true when listening to them live or recorded.
Anna Burch
To follow Hatchie with Detroit songwriter Anna Burch seems to me like an intentional juxtaposition. One offers up glittery melodies, but another communicates with lyrical, descriptive songs. True to this change, we went from shoegazing to speaking directly to the audience. Which made my second job as a photographer a bit easier.
Still light and airy, Burch’s songs, such as “Asking 4 a Friend” and “2 Cool 2 Care” are catchy in their own ways. Twisting and turning, you never quite know where the next hook is coming on the first listen – and then they will grow on you quite quickly to confuse your normal expectations. Quite interesting. My favorite would still be “Tea-Soaked Letter.”