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Photo by Joy Gnash

Yellow flowers, specifically yellow roses, have long been associated with friendship. Their bright, cheery color evokes feelings of joy and happiness. In her latest EP, Bad Luck Is Two Yellow Flowers, Theo Bleak, the musical alter ego of Dundee based Katie Lynch, explores her imaginings of her friend’s inner life.

The EP’s opening track, “Peach Sky,” is a result of Bleak’s second time living and working on the Isle of Skye. Different thoughts and observations came together to create this hazy, dreamy, track. Speaking on the track Bleak shared, “The morning I left the island to return home, the sky was a beautiful peach colour. I reflected on how impermanent my feelings were.” The title of the EP comes from the lyrics of “Peach Sky” with Bleak singing, “Last night the hotel lost power / Bad luck is two yellow flowers” in the beginning of the second verse. Bleak described the title’s imagery as being “tied to ideas of superstition, astrology, and the feeling of deep, unwavering longing.”

As Bleak continues her journey through the EP, she takes a moment to take apart her own conflicting feelings towards intellect and emotion. In “Said Like A Poet” Bleak calls herself out for idealising intellect, despite being driven by emotion. The lyrics expose Bleak’s frustration with herself as she sings “Man, I could have been someone / Man, I could have been someone / Can you worry your way out of this one? / Man, I could have been someone.” The acknowledgement of her constant worrying highlights just how deeply emotionally driven she is, and the repetition of “Man, I could have been someone” emphasizes her disappointment in herself, perhaps for not being as intellectual as she desires to be.

In “Katie You’re A Liar," Bleak examines herself from the perspective of someone who hates her. The lyrics are biting, picking apart Bleak’s flaws and laying them out for her to see. The chorus of the song doesn’t hold back with Bleak singing “Cause it’s so crazy mean what you said about me / Yeah it’s so crazy mean what you said about me / Katie you’re a liar / You think you got it right once and now / You’re on fire / You’re a liar.” The phrase “you’re on fire” is often used to describe someone who is absolutely killing it, but paired with the following lyrics “you’re a liar” the phrase recalls the children’s rhyme “liar liar pants on fire,” once again emphasizing the negative light that Bleak’s haters see her in. Bleak’s voice is haunting and the stirring, soprano backing vocals only add to the hurt in the lyrics.

Bleak continues to examine complex emotions in “Look Out The Window” where she reflects on obsessive longing. Persistent, strumming guitar is present throughout the song, creating a dynamic soundscape, emphasizing the intensity of Bleak’s longing. “You Don’t Want Me” not only concludes the EP but also concludes the story started in “Look Out The Window,” as the consequences of obsessive longing come crashing down around Bleak. The song is simple and stripped back, the only lyrics being “You don’t want me / Yeah I’m fine with it.” The vocals are distant, and Bleak’s dejection at her unreciprocated feelings is palpable.