Liz Lawrence – Pity Party review

by Joseph Purcell

Almost seven years since the folk infused Bedroom Hero, Liz Lawrence returns with the self-produced and more electronic based Pity Party. And after seeing Lawrence support Lucy Dacus earlier this year, the thought of her returning through the long player format prompted much excitement.

Lead single, Navigator, only further stirred the excitement- it rips into focus on an effervescent three minutes of glorious pop, while Usp – a sultry beast – snakes along a route of bleeding bass, intersected by jagged guitar hooks to create a punch of synth pop delight. Shoes, while more stripped back, is charming in its simplicity.

But after moments of much promise, Pity Party ultimately becomes a collection of ideas that never quite work alongside each other. None of My Friends and Want are again catchy, but fail to develop and become lost. Life Again starts with a hollow reflective tone, but is then unnecessarily drowned out rather than being allowed to breathe. Excitement quelled.

Secret Meeting score: 65

 

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