Lefuturewave
Lefuturewave is a music blog based in the Netherlands. We feature emerging as well as established artists.
Sophomore albums are where artists either find themselves or lose the plot entirely. Ellie Grace, the 16-year-old Seattle singer-songwriter, does neither, as she arrives on Nothing Is Easy already knowing exactly who she is, what she wants to say, and how to say it.
The record is the product of an unusual amount of loss and grief, according to Ellie, and it holds that weight throughout, but never oppressively.
Ellie’s voice remains the album’s most compelling asset. Her soulful, unhurried alto sits somewhere in the territory of Sharon Van Etten and Courtney Barnett, being emotionally direct, technically assured, and entirely free of affectation. It’s a voice that trusts the listener.
Produced with a cast of Seattle’s finest, including cellist Josh Neumann (Brandi Carlile) and drummer Garrett Lunceford (Portugal. The Man), the arrangements are consistently excellent. The band serves the songs, and the songs are worth serving.
Highlights are plentiful. Hope Resides is a five-minute masterwork that’s both expansive and close at the same time. Blackwater shimmers with an indie warmth reminiscent of early Alvvays. My Favorite Movie is powerful in the best way. And the closing run of Ashes, Turn Back Time, and Far Away brings the record home in poignant fashion.
Ellie has said she hopes these songs reach people going through something similar. They will. They already are.
Nothing Is Easy gets our highest recommendation. Check it out below!
Lefuturewave is a music blog based in the Netherlands. We feature emerging as well as established artists.
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