Album Review - Brittany McDonald EP

Sometimes it pays to have friends in the blogger world. None of us are able to catch everything, and with so many independent artists out there, it can be easy to lose track of a few of them. Thanks to a helpful hint from Vertigo Schtick, I was able to catch the debut, self-titled full EP from Brittany McDonald. She's been working hard at this for a long time, and it's about time we see it come to fruition.

Anyone else think she looks like Kyle Richards there? Is it just me? I guess I've been watching too much of the Real Housewives franchise as of late. The good thing is her looks aren't all she has going for her. The music on the EP is just as solid.

The opening song "Another Wanna Be" is a fun way to kick everything off. She goes through a long list of things she could be doing to try and fake being a star, but that just isn't who she is. The song's message is amusing, and the beat is fun, with a synth line you probably would only hear in a Robyn song. The guitars kick in soon after, giving the song a multi-genre angle, pushing it past being just another synth-pop song.

The flow continues on with "Red Hot", keeping with the same "I'm not a dumb bitch" attitude she's had previously. This track is probably one of my favorites of the bunch, because anybody who knows anything about me knows I love to spell in songs. I think Ke$ha may have started me off on this, but ever since I have just found it fun to spell out words. This song really is R-E-D H-O-T. Spelling aside, the electronic, almost video game, sound to the back beat is something I really dig in any pop song these days.

It's not that I'm opposed to girl rock in the least, but I am a bit opposed to 90's sounding girl rock. I guess that is why "Boy Basher" is one of my least favorite songs on the EP. The message behind the song of girl power and not bending to the will of a man is a great message, and it's done in a very playful way, but I feel this falls somewhere into the despair of the late 90's/early 00's era of girls' pop-rock. Maybe it just needs a hot remix.

Along the same lines is the track "I Liked You", but fortunately this track carries over her style a bit better, including mumbling off amusing lines in speaking voice in the background. Upon further thought, I probably was turned off by the style change because I came into the EP thinking it would be straight up electro-pop like the few tracks I'd heard from her before this release. The style differentials make sense in the bigger picture, showing that she can capture more than just what is mainstream right now, but the girl-pop-rock scene has never really been my thing.

I love the darker sound of "Beat Stops". Period. Her voice singing lower than usual, the beat using some awesome distortions -- everything about this song is amazing. The song keeps up the same message that she is the real deal, questioning who you will be when the music is all over. I'm not sure if this is a challenge to those who hide behind music in place of vocal talent, but that is certainly the vibe I got here.

There's a song on here called "Notice Me"! Wait this isn't Frankmusik and Quigley. Damn. But this track is actually a good song. Starting out making you think this is gonna be a slow ballad, the tempo picks up after the intro, breaking out into a somewhat faster paced song about a girls place in the world, specifically the music industry. She tells her story about being so desperate to be famous without changing herself. The line "Maybe if I took off my clothes you would notice me" rings quite true in today's music scene.

And the next song starts off with...wait. What the hell am I listening to? "Not So Secret Admirer" starts off with some hillbilly leaving her a creepy voicemail on her cellphone, confessing that he loves her and doesn't want to kill her. O...k? The music kicks in quickly, explaining the story, but not doing much to disband my state of shock from that awkward beginning. The song is actually a very fun techno feeling song, with some amusing lyrics, such as those where she demands he come out of the bushes. I would like to start a petition to get the song without the amazingly creepy as hell dude speaking throughout it, so I can jam to it in my car without feeling like I'm gonna get jumped by the family from The Hills Have Eyes.

Sadly all adventures have to come to an end. Longer than most EP's (thankfully), this extended adventure ends with track number eight, "Strawberry Shake".  This song is another girl-pop-rock type song with a twinge of country and just a smidge of electronic style peppered into the beat. Yeah, I know, it's a lot to take in. The story is all about that fantasy impromptu getaway with that special boy. It ends the EP on a very positive, upbeat note, which can be very important, especially for those of us who listen to albums in their entirety the first go around.

Brittany has a great voice. The vocals are strong throughout this release, and her attitude is even more awesome. The overall message of the EP is girl power, but it goes further than that. It is about real girl power, not the fake and over processed pop stars of today. Brittany is the real deal and she's not shy about telling everyone this fact.

I really am happy I was shown this EP. There hasn't been a ton of new music lately, and even less from budding new artists, which is really my specialty. Even better news is that this EP is free, which is a growing trend that absolutely love. You can download it for free yourself here. Give it a shot.

Love it? Hate it? Comment and let me know. Free music will cost you nothing but a bit of your time, and it may actually surprise you.