Amy Studt - My Paper Made Men
I am probably one of only a handful of people who recall the debut album from this young lady four years ago. Back then she was trying to make it as a pop singer. Her single ‘Misfit’ was an incredibly catchy pop song so I wanted to now how she would shape up in the alternative indie pop genre.
Amy Studt is a very talented musician and lyricalist. Each of these tracks is unique in its own way. From gentle tapping of keys, soft violins and more heavy guitars, the tracks each explore sounds in their own way. ‘Sad, Sad World’ begins the album with a mysterious beat that increases with intensity and anxiety. Just when you think the climax isn’t going to come the track explodes full-blown. ‘Furniture’ was the first single to be released digitally. The guitar churning and acoustic setting warm things up. Images of Studt on stage surrounded by a blue spotlight are sent through me. ‘She Ran’ and ‘She Walks Beautiful’ both have emotional keys that play on the emotions of the listener. The latter works up frantic and aggressive feelings with its intense rhythm; it made my nerves stand up. The strings on ‘One Last Cigarette’ really stand out; ‘Paper-Made Man’ has more of an agitated beat croaking around, the guitars of ‘Chasing the Light’ add a jazzy edge to the track, while ‘Nice Boys’ hears a return to the poppier beat with a folksy indie edge.
Studt uses a wide range of inspiration within her lyrical writing. From different things girls run from in life on ‘She Ran’ to documenting the trials and tribulations of staying up all night and having fun within ‘Chasing the Light’. Many of the tracks have catchy little lines that implant themselves into your memory. ‘Nice Boys’ has the line “nice boys they don’t last” while ‘Paper-Made Man’ has the excellent “that voodoo you do comes back three fold on you”. It may be a bit of a tongue twister but is very memorable.
The vocals of my Studt were just as I recall. They are able to make a listener feel the emotions that relate to that specific song and flow with ease. ‘Walking Out’ adds a tad of suspicion in the words and ‘Chasing the Light’ has a fieriness at some points, which is combined with the more subtle vocals of verses. The most spectacular by all means is the choir chant mid riff of ‘Here Lies Love’.
Style, vocals and approach to tracks present here have definitely changed over the past four years or more. No longer is Amy Studt the teenage schoolgirl singing about being different and not following the status quo; now she is actually going out there and doing it. This mature young woman is going to make much more of an impact this time around.