Jessie Murph Reclaims Her Story in the Daring 'Sex Hysteria'
Photo: Ashley Olahh
Boundary-pushing breakout artist Jessie Murph has delivered her most ambitious work to date with the release of her sophomore album Sex Hysteria. The collection represents a striking evolution from the Alabama native's debut, That Ain't No Man That's The Devil, using her soaring vocals and twangy flow to confront complex family dynamics head-on, challenge societal expectations, and celebrate the reclamation of personal agency. This is all delivered through her signature blend of vulnerability and strength, culminating in her most cohesive artistic statement yet.
On the record's opening track, "Gucci Mane," who features on a song further down on the tracklist, funnily enough, Murph's storytelling takes center stage as she confronts her past, reflects on her evolution, and voices complicated emotions with bold and raw honesty. She looks at the fallout from the daddy issues, crooning, “I know I love shitty men / They normally contribute to the state that I’m in,” but still manages to end it on a humorous note, ending the track with the line, “I’ll sample ‘Lemonade’ to make Gucci Mane proud."
The album was previewed by the seductive single "Touch Me Like A Gangster," which is the most Winehouseian song here, with a spoken Elvis-like intro, booming Spector-esque snare drums, and plinking piano lines. Also featured is the explosive, hip-hop leaning lead track, "Blue Strips," featuring unapologetic lyrics and bass-heavy production. With its slinking beat and a glistening chorus with stellar alliteration, where the meaning of the words is less important than the rhythm and wordplay, “Boy I ain’t mad at you / I had to get back at you / Got a new man, got a new damn mansion in Malibu," it makes for a solid focus track, and heart of the album.
Without a doubt, Sex Hysteria is Jessie Murph’s most thematically cohesive and bold work to date, peeling back the layers of her story like never before. This album is a journey, a transformation of personal pain into cathartic, powerful music. It's a work that weaves together deeply personal narratives, examining the complexities of modern womanhood in a way that resonates with many. With her fireball voice and spitfire persona, she’s truly arrived, and we better be ready because she isn't slowing down for anybody.
Listen to Sex Hysteria below:
