Album Review: Megan Washington – There There
3 min read
Australia’s beloved singer/songwriter Megan Washington is nothing short of a treat for the ears; her debut studio album I Believe You, Liar won the hearts of many and earned her various ARIA Award nominations in 2010, she won in the ‘Best Female Artist and ‘Breakthrough Artist’ categories. Insomnia was Megan’s seventh EP and the follow-up release to her successful debut, it had a more darker persona than its predecessor and continued her knack for storytelling; since mid-late 2013, there were rumours of a second album due for release very soon. During a string of intimate national shows in April this year, Megan premiered some of the new tracks that are featured on her sophomore release, There There with great reception. It’s been four years coming, and it’s hard for the excitement to be contained.
Yellow & Blue is a classic demonstration of Megan’s poetic imagery, the subtle verse warms us up for the dramatic entrance of the chorus; it’s already obvious that she won’t be holding back with this album. The record’s third single My Heart Is A Wheel is an energetic piece of indie/pop we can expect from Megan, in a recent interview with us she said the song was written about the reasoning behind a woman’s changeable heart; Kanye West’s song Runaway was cited as one of her recent influences. Second single Limitless sounds like an 80’s inspired pop tune, but there’s enough modern pop present to certify the track as a 21st century emotional roller coaster; the song’s accompanying video is simple, yet intriguing. Skyline delves deeper into the heart of Megan Washington than we’ve ever been before, the strings and the vocals work together to create this atmosphere of empathy; Begin Again was a game changer for Megan, she said she’d never written anything like it before, the rawness of the track excels that of her previous work and it is an instantaneous favourite from There There. Lead single Who Are You is by far one of the catchiest tracks you’ll find on the album, it also makes for a killer live track; Get Happy is another upbeat dose of Megan-pop sure to keep you moving.
Personal regrets and the remembrance of a previous engagement inspired the guilt-ridden Marry Me, there’s just something about Megan’s voice that causes you to hang on every single one of her words, particularly in this song; the quietened verses of The Falling brings some more perfection to the table, it allowed focus on the beautiful tonal qualities breathed with each lyric and throughout the chorus. Megan tugs at our heart strings again with Consolation Prize, an atmospheric pop ballad questioning why she feels like she is the compromise in the relationship, the woe in her voice nails the vibe; To Or Not Let Go is a lighter ballad led by the luscious piano, it is intriguing how this track appears stripped down but still has a combination of elements to create a dreamy sound. To Or Not Let Go transitions into the final track One For Sorrow, another intimate piano ballad that flourishes with Megan’s poetry.
Megan Washington barely fails to impress, There There is a masterpiece from beginning to end; not one track is a filler, and it’s so hard to find an album in this day and age where every song stands out. I Believe You, Liar was written over a few years and was a heavy experimentation with various genres of music; when writing There There, Megan’s producer Sam Dixon insisted the album should be written on a more personal level, approximately three months later the pair had composed handfuls of new songs. In every lyric and note sung, you can hear fragments of Megan’s heart and soul and that’s what makes the record so special; she’s evolved from being the new kid on the indie/pop block in 2010 to blossoming as an established and renowned singer/songwriter. There There is an album an artist should have pride in, it’s Megan Washington like you’ve never heard her before and we love it!
