Dance, cry, love—but please do it all with feeling! Indie Pop/Alternative songstress Meg Myers does just this on her latest, a collection of two new EPs—Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 The Disco and I’d Like 2 Go Home Now—that both arrive on Friday, November 13, 2020, thanks to Sumerian Records.
Singer-songwriter Myers might have initially begun her journey to stardom in Tennessee, but these days she’s a Los Angelino. With two full-lengths to her credit—2015 debut Sorry, as well as 2018’s Take Me to the Disco—the talented storyteller has begun to build an impressive name for herself with her eclectic musical style. An amalgamation of vast influences that seemingly include the likes of P.J. Harvey, Kate Bush, and Fiona Apple, Myers aims to take her listeners on a raw, emotional journey.
For her first release on her new label, Sumerian Records, Myers chose to deliver a pair of EPs that collect together new songs, as well as rare B-sides from the recording of her sophomore LP. Paired together, Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 The Disco and I’d Like 2 Go Home Now offer the two varying facets of the artist’s soul. From the thicker textures of the former to the more soul-searching, languid reflections of the later, Myers authors a tale fraught with pain and suffering, hope and healing.
Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 The Disco sashays right out into the middle of the dance floor for “Any Way You Wanna Love.” Multiple genres converge to formulate the enticing track, complete with some deliciously funky flourishes and a slight ‘80s influence, as Myers creates an anthem for embracing our innermost selves. One might say the song could be catalogued beside the likes of Florence + the Machine, sonically speaking, and you can definitely consider it an LGBTQ+ anthem.
Next, she shows her claws on rocker “Grizzly,” before embracing an outlaw feel on the darkly satisfying “The Underground.” With enough dust and grit at its core, it wouldn’t be entirely outlandish to think that Myers could bring Kacey Musgraves onstage for the track. Unfortunately but understandably, Musgraves is sadly absent as Myers rolls into the sensual struggle of “Breaks My Back” and then offers up a show-stopping finale. Featuring the equally gifted L.A.-based singer/songwriter morgxn, the duet “i hope you cry” is an emotional glance backward, one that, much like the bulk of Myers’ music, does not mince words.
If you want to split hairs, I’d Like 2 Go Home Now is the more even-keeled of the EPs, mired in further emotion and taking its time to heal the scars. It opens to “True Liars,” where the passionate fervor of the percussion echoes Myers’ velvety-plush vocals. It’s an intimate moment, and it segues beautifully into the languid caress of “End of the World.”
Meanwhile, the ballad “Hurt” sees Myers with her soul laid bare in the name of love, confessing that mistakes were definitely made. Next it’s the entrancing “Sweet Liar” before another epic finish with “Last Laugh.” Spinning like a ballerina inside a music box, the multi-talented musician paints cinematic feels with her piano and vocal finale.
No matter which EP you put up for discussion, Myers crosses genres fluidly and with little regard to any preassigned formulas. Her genre, therefore, can only be defined as raw, no-holds-barred feeling. With a passionate desire for the material that she presents to her listeners, she elevates herself beyond any simplistic categorization and literally becomes the music. Having crafted a package full of fiery passion and vulnerability, the songwriter manages to bare her soul.
Which EP appeals more to you personally will depend on which side of Myers you prefer, but for us here at Cryptic Rock, we love the whole package. Thus, we give the combined Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 The Disco and I’d Like 2 Go Home Now EPs 4.5 of 5 stars. (Much like right Twix and left Twix, you shouldn’t have one without the other!)
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