Authentic. Empathetic. Honest. Raw. This is Essex-born Lucy Kitt’s second album, Telling Me, in a nutshell. A blend of 70s Laurel Canyon folk, indie rock, and country music infused with Kitt’s own unique voice, it features snapshots of the human experience as well as impressive collaborations with musicians including Jay Starkey on drums, Spencer Cullum on pedal steel, Sam Beer of Treetop Flyers and Pat Kenneally on drums and piano.
Clearly a keen observer, Kitt has turned outwards with this album and written songs to encapsulate the lives and struggles of those dearest to her – struggles many of us are all too familiar with, be they breakups, feelings of self-doubt, or even the passing of a loved one.
Relationships coming to an end is the most common theme on the album. On ‘Blink’, the deceptively bright guitar underscores a dying love and the fleeting nature of happiness; the eponymous ‘Telling Me’ is a raw account of a difficult breakup and the battle of heart and head made worse by everyone else weighing in with their opinions without considering the singer’s actual needs; the pared down ‘Like This’ is full of anguish, lamenting an unhappy relationship, the singer ground down by fights and frustrations; and in the passionate ‘Without Her’, Kitt helps a friend navigate the aftermath of a breakup.
Song has been used throughout the ages as a medium to process love, loss, and woe. Kitt uses much of her album as an emotional outlet for loved ones’ turmoil and passions. ‘Waiting Game’ was written during lockdown and is dedicated to friends struggling with mental health during this isolating time, the uplifting beat giving the listener strength and hope; the determined guitar line of ‘Lonely Rose’ is accompanied by a single flute, perhaps symbolising the fragility of love Kitt sings about, the haunting cry of the chorus heralding the loss that is to come.
Inner turmoil is the theme of ‘Sweet Time’ and ‘Tides’, one melancholy and poignant, the other wild and restless with its rocky guitar and cymbals crashing like waves against the cliffs. Life can turn upside down at a moment’s notice and leave us unfulfilled, try as we might to fill it.
Since our modern age is all about image, we often try to hide flaws and project a picture of perfection to the world – especially on social media, which is the theme of ‘Missing Out’. It is a call, perhaps to a friend, to stop wishing their life is more like the unrealistic portraits painted online and instead to shape their own destiny.
Contrasting the preceding melancholy, devotion to a loved one and a deeply happy relationship are at the core of the gorgeous ‘What Would I Do’. It bursts in like a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds and there is a wonderful warmth in the lyrics and instrumental backing, infused with twangs of a bright and hopeful bluesy guitar.
The closing track, ‘Resting Blues’, is a pared back, beautiful tribute to a dear friend who has passed away, living their life boldly and to the full. A poignant end to an album that showcases Kitt’s keen observational skills and musical storytelling abilities. A real gem.