Greetings dearest gentle readers and music lovers let’s welcome the talented Melissa Engleman. Melissa. Roughness and compassion are expertly blended by the singer-songwriter in her debut studio EP. She expertly combines singer-songwriter folk, alt-country, and bluesy undertones. Melissa draws inspiration from musicians like Tori Amos and Willie Nelson for her music, which tackles themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Her EP “Love (Indiegogo Version) from the trilogy of Love, death, and Mexico” was published on February 2. An inspiring story of perseverance in the face of adversity and personal growth. Melissa’s sincere and passionate voice is highlighted in this five-song EP, which was recorded at Plaid Dog Studios in Boston, Massachusetts, and includes additional vocals at Craftsman Recording in Austin, Texas. Let’s talk more about it
“Waiting for You” is the opening song on the EP. The dreamy guitar sounds open the tune and draws in the listeners. The song’s character tells her lover, that she’s waiting for him to treat her fairly. (”I’m waiting for you”). Among other things that she’s going through, she can’t sleep since she is so upset throughout this waiting period. Engleman delivers a magnificent performance that is further accentuated by the orchestration, and she sounds lovely. The EP begins with this beautiful tune.
The EP’s following track is “In the Quiet.” The song begins with bright and lively instrumentation. The song features a character who has been broken up with but still feels his presence in her house and longs for him to return. The song also depicts a character who, although knowing deep within that she shouldn’t, yearns for her lover. At first, she despises herself and blames herself for things she didn’t do, trying to figure out what went wrong. Engleman’s rendition of the song is incredibly moving, and the instrumentation is flawless. Engleman sounds troubled and portrays this character’s feelings perfectly The orchestration in this emotionally charged song is dramatic and slow-paced, and the vocal performance is amazing and beautiful.
Next up is the song “Say Goodbye.” Ukulele sounds begin the tune. The song’s character informs her boyfriend that since their relationship isn’t working anymore, it’s time for them to split ways (“Darling, it’s time to say goodbye”). Like the character who is eager to start again and attempt new things, the vocal performance and the instrumentation exude optimism and hope for the future
“Those things” is the next song on the EP. In this song, the character reassures her spouse that the things he may have heard about her are untrue. (“It isn’t true”)She reminds him that she loves him (“my dear, sweet soul, I love you”) and urges him to put the falsehoods behind him. The piano and ukulele solo was really stunning and magnificent and perfects the song in totality
“As long as my heart will allow me” is the EP’s final track. A lovely guitar harmony opens the song. The song’s character informs her partner that she cannot give him up or pass him around if he is already seeing someone else because he wasn’t hers to claim. She promises him that she will wait for him for as long as her heart permits. The vocal performance enhances the desperation and longing of the character and listeners get the full experience The EP ends with this lovely tune.
From the 90s-inspired “Say Goodbye” to the twangy ballad “For As Long As My Heart Would Let Me,” each song on the EP transports listeners to a place of personal acceptance and strength. Despite challenges such as a cancer diagnosis and pandemic delays, Melissa has persevered and created a collection of songs that are both eerie and healing. Melissa is a gifted artist who will rule the music field
Stream the “Love (Indiegogo version) from the trilogy of Love, death, and Mexico” EP on Bandcamp
Follow Melissa Engleman here and on her socials; Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
