Three years after her debut release, Nashville based singer-songwriter Savannah Conley returns with her sophomore EP ‘Surprise, Surprise’. It is a robust, vulnerable and intimate coming-of-age record that proves Conley’s writing and singing chops, and deserves a lot of attention.
It says something about a musician’s talent and skill when you can sing along to the songs on the very first listen. You might put it down to the predictability of the writing, but that’s certainly not the case here. Savannah Conley is simply a brilliant writer, crafting songs that feel familiar and fresh all at once. The lyrics draw you in from the very first note, and keep hold of you tightly until the final chord. With heavy hints of Fleetwood Mac throughout the EP (especially in ‘Dream Boy’, which oozes ‘Dreams’ vibes), the edgy guitar and Conley’s strong, Stevie Nicks-esque vocals are clear proof of Nashville’s influence on her music.
Opening track ‘Being Around You’ is an anthem for anyone who has experienced unrequited love. It starts off relatively chilled, building to a crescendo of frustration, mirroring the feeling of concealing your feelings for someone they desperately adore:
“Tired of being around you,
When I can’t be with you, Like I want to,
Tired of being around you,
And it’s only getting harder”.
‘Not Where I’m Going’ is a quieter and simpler affair, with sparse guitar and a dusting of piano allowing Conley’s powerful and emotive voice to shine. Talking about her inspiration for the track, Conley said “Realising the things that are bad for you is hard. Making a commitment to put boundaries on those things is harder. Writing this song, I was in a place where my boundaries and personal commitment were being tested. Everything felt wrong, so It was so tempting to go back to old patterns”. As a testament to her innate talent, the raw, vulnerable vocals used on the song were taken from the original scratch track and were never meant to make it into the final cut.
‘Don’t Take Me Home’ showcases another side to Conley’s voice, playing with a higher range and lighter texture, proving that she really is a Jack of all trades, able to turn her hand (and her voice) to a variety of sounds and emotions.
The final track on the EP is ‘Surprise, Surprise’, ending proceedings on a gentle note, taking us on a real journey from the heavier opening track. A song about the vulnerability of being in love, and the fear of losing it, ‘Surprise, Surprise’ is a real heart-wrencher. It will make anyone who isn’t in love wish that they were, and make everyone who is in love want to hold onto it tightly. With a touch of Dolly Parton, this is the perfect song to close the EP. As the instruments fade out and leave Conley’s almost whispered vocals alone, you may want to sit in since for a while and reflect, before listening to the whole thing again.
