Released: 13th July 2018
Rating: ★★★
Three-piece Brooklyn-born group Wet, primarily known for their track ‘Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl’ from their 2016 debut, fit into the 90s R&B, alternative and lo-fi dream pop categories without remaining in any of them. And as tradition follows, the group are nowhere near home.
Lead singer Kelly Zutrau admits that second album ‘Still Run’ is a form of escapism, with inspiration coming in part from the slogan for a funeral home, Where Beauty Softens Your Grief. “Something about those words and the story behind it really stuck with me,” she says. “I found that idea so comforting, someone making a place to soften the sometimes harsh reality of being a human.”
The album’s title-track is a clear demonstration of that, arriving at a soft folk acoustic haven. Gabrielle Aplin-like vocals spring to mind, with the opening line “Want to go where the sun is shining, and no one knows my name” bringing an all-too-familiar indie sound but with some real depths of emotion. Her calm, sweet voice contrasts with her urgency and desperation to “get away”.
‘Softens’ meanwhile was created during a time that Wet describe as personally challenging. Almost immediately Kelly displays her urge to explore horizons and see more than what is in front of her while remaining in a soft, low tone. Once the beat of the drum kicks in, the song sounds like a closing scene to a Disney Channel original film.
Kelly’s said her aim was “to create a world for a few minutes that would be a nice place to be,” and that really comes through – here’s to hoping that the album takes listeners there, too.
Ashley Morris
