EP Review: Pretty Sick - ‘Streetwise’
Pretty Sick’s newest EP comes with the promise of a nostalgic full-length album - a love letter to Cocteau Twins.
‘Streetwise’ combines Pretty Sick’s alternative sounds with a classic teenage punk tinge. Last month, they released the singles ‘Streetwise’ and ‘Headliner’ to much excitement. These two tracks stand out as fresh steps for the band from heavier grunge staples into ambient indie rock. One of the staple new tracks on the EP is ‘Violet’, which has been released with an accompanying music video. The song and its music video fully embody the classic aesthetic of Avril Lavigne and style of Cocteau Twins, providing a new and unique soundscape for the band and listeners.
The music video for ‘Violet’ perfectly materialises the musical transformation of Pretty Sick; taking place in a rather dingy 90s/2000s nightclub, the atmosphere that the music video brings is captivating and paints frontwoman and founder Sabrina Fuentes as an ultimate girl crush. ‘Violet’ takes intimate shots of the grunge scene and solidifies itself as a midsummer anthem.
The track itself lives up to its sister tracks and introduces the band’s experimentation into 90s-esque droney/melancholic vocals. Spliced samples are carefully combed into a neat synergy that is best in highlighting the ghostly, otherworldly style that we’ve heard in previous Pretty Sick albums.
The EP holds promise for an exciting evolution in Pretty Sick’s career. Made up of electronic vocals and catchy lyrics, the construction of ‘Streetwise’ brings to mind this modern wave of alternative female artists that are bringing together electronic influences with grunge ambience. The opening track, ‘Tried And True’, exhibits this most clearly.
‘Headliner’ and ‘Streetwise’ provide a catchy grunge ambience compared to the ghostly melancholy of the new tracks ‘Miami’ and ‘With You’. In closing with the titular track ‘Streetwise’ featuring new alt-indie artist xmal, there is perhaps a suggestion that the future album will feature tracks that lean more into the sound of Lavigne than Twins.
Words by Erin Hill
