ggwendolyn Lets Us in on the Chaos of Figuring Yourself Out in "nancy & the crooked cowboy"
If ggwendolyn hasn’t been on your radar yet, now is the time to start listening.
The aesthetics of ggwendolyn’s world consist of grainy videos on film, deeply personal confessions, and hand-drawn album art, which create a profoundly intimate window into her emotions. Her music offers an eclectic and candid look at depression, unrequited love, and the chaos that comes with figuring yourself out. Her first body of work is a cohesive and remarkable debut so fundamentally unlike any other EP in the genre that it deserves a front-to-back listen.
“nancy & the crooked cowboy” arrives after three singles from the artist: “orion,” “my year of rest & relaxation,” and “red eye,” all of which appear on the EP alongside new songs “i’m so tired” and “crooked cowboy.” “red eye,” the first track on the EP, touches on the spiraling emotions that come with being in an unhealthy relationship where you’d rather be with them, even though it hurts, rather than be alone. It’s a poignant look into self-deprecation and misery as she grapples with losing yourself in a relationship, confessing “I would rather care about you than care about me right now / It’s easier to love you first than love myself somehow.”
With “orion,” ggwendolyn flaunts her songwriting prowess, incorporating cosmic imagery into her story about pining after a distant lover while simultaneously producing earworm melodies and an addictive chorus that you’ll find yourself humming throughout your day. “i’m so tired,” a Fugazi cover, is stripped-down and understated, featuring ggwendolyn singing at her piano as she laments her exhaustion with life. Her captivatingly delicate vocals are on full display here, as well as her clever wordplay, particularly with the lyric “I’m so tired, sheep are counting me.”
“my year of rest & relaxation” borrows its name from Otessa Moshfegh’s popular novel that delves into themes of substance abuse, depression, and isolation. The song itself is deceptively upbeat as she ponders her own lethargic habits and struggles with finding her voice as a musician. The production is bold and brash, rejecting any sense of conventionality as she creates a soundscape that captures the feelings of existential dread without sacrificing a catchy, pop-laden hook. The final installment, “crooked cowboy,” is ggwendolyn’s raunchiest and most electrifying track on the EP. Explores the idea of chasing after someone to the point of delusion, it doesn’t lose her signature moody vocals and lyrical wit.
ggwendolyn possesses a rare talent—the ability to create a sonic tapestry that is both nostalgic and refreshingly unique. It’s impossible not to be swept away by her heartfelt lyrics and evocative imagery, and it’s unbelievably clear after listening to “nancy & the crooked cowboy” that she is one of the most talented, underrated artists to watch.
Listen to nancy & the crooked cowboy below:
