Bec Stevens sounds like the love child of Missy Higgins and Camp Cope. Often her music sits in a gentle folky-rock space, but as her emotions spill over the songs on her sophomore EP Why Don’t You Just get grittier and more powerful. It was a little jarring at first, when the pounding drums kicked into opening track “10-Minute Drive.” But spend some time with Bec Stevens and you’ll start anticipating those powerful crescendos. Suddenly she wasn’t just feeling wistful, she was choking back the tears and I was right there with her.
Loss and heartache take centre stage in this EP. Bec Stevens lays her heart bare in this album, admitting she’s not OK, revealing her jealousy, conceding she’s so tortured she can’t eat. “Time it Takes” and “They Don’t Build Cars Like This Anymore” so eloquently express the feelings that come when you know you should move on, but still feel so wrapped up in the feelings attached to the very thing that brings you pain. “Stitches” is a masterclass in songwriting, a powerful metaphor for the pain that still lingers even while we’re supposed to heal.
The EP’s final two numbers provide a change of pace to the loud rock numbers that came before. “Girl” and “Fuck This Up” see Bec Stevens’ music stripped back to basics, with little more than an acoustic guitar keeping her voice company. The gentler music draws us in. The songs might not be as loud as the ones that came before, but they’re no less impactful. These songs are like the calm after the storm, a resolution and moving on, although through “Fuck This Up” we hear the cycle beginning again. A new opportunity, new insecurities and fears, all laid bare as Bec pleads for this to be different this time.
Why Don’t You Just is the kind of angry, powerful music that can only come after great loss. It’s real, raw, and so easy to connect to, whether your own loss is fresh or your scars have healed, but remain visible. It also reveals Bec Stevens as one of the most authentic and compelling singer-songwriters in this country. Wrap your ears around this one. It’s out today.