Vetty Vials’ debut album Conversations With Myself has been three years in the making. Time can be the enemy of the recording process. Invest too much of it and you overthink and overproduce, giving the music a slickness that undermines their authenticity. Yet this collection of songs retain a spontaneous energy that makes them so compelling.
The album title is so telling. These songs feel like intimate confessions, the kind of tunes you might sing out in the privacy of your bedroom when you think no one is listening, with lyrics ripped from the pages of a diary. They might be three years coming to us, but they still feel endearingly raw.
Vetty’s voice has a sweetness about it which reminds me a little of Ella Hooper’s. Its angelic tone provides a delicious contrast to the bold bassline and driving drums in rockier numbers like “Pride” and “Dust.” Personally I think it’s at its best in heartbreaking ballads like “Say” and “Nowhere Feels Like Home.” The quieter instrumentation gives her voice room to breathe, supporting it subtly while ensuring you can hear and appreciate every nuance.
In just eight tracks, Vetty Vials delivers a diverse collection of songs that should appeal to most music fans. It’s on the short side, but leaving us wanting more isn’t entirely a bad thing. Vetty Vials has hit the ground running, playing shows all around the country to support the recent release of Conversations With Myself. She’ll play two shows in Melbourne in the next couple of days. Catch her at The Old Bar tomorrow night or the Tramway Hotel on Saturday night for a special acoustic set.
Image used with permission from Beehive PR