Premiere: Talena Bricker Releases Captivating ‘War Line’ EP

Washington State-based indie-folk artist Talena Bricker introduces her brand-new EP, War Line, following on the heels of her acclaimed debut EP, Drowning.

Speaking to the EP’s title, Talena shares, “I was in a place of major growth in my life while writing these songs. I learned how to set boundaries, sometimes I broke down boundaries—for good and bad—so, partly, the songs and the title come from this push and pull, battles, wins, and failures.”

She goes on to add, “When I write, I’m grappling with complicated feelings and narratives. I ask questions in music and leave things open-ended and unresolved. That’s life, and that’s what feels human to me. It brings me a beautiful catharsis, and it helps me to connect with others as they can use these songs to make sense of their own lives.”

Compared to her first EP, Drowning, the new EP exhibits sinuous filaments of plush Americana, revealing Talena’s subtle yet alluring musical evolution, as well as her intricate fingerpicking.

Encompassing five-tracks, War Line starts off with “In Betweens,” opening on delicate colors, fragile and vulnerable, flowing into a Gaelic-like rolling melody. Rounded yet evocative, Talena’s voice is at once exotic and lusciously nuanced. I love the soft, piercing cry of the violin on the solo section.

Entry points include “Done No Wrong,” a low-slung, silkily textured country-pop tune featuring a delicious steel guitar, while Talena’s sumptuous voice imbues the lyrics with nostalgic regret as she narrates her innocence. This might be the best track on a wonderfully complete EP.

The title track travels on a rolling rhythm made up of crunching-lite percussion and a plump bassline. Layers of drifting, hovering coloration imbue the harmonics with creamy undulations. On this track, Talena’s voice, melodic and cashmere, projects warm tinctures of taut memories.

With War Line, Talena Bricker delivers soft, glossy Americana surfaces punctuated by her rich, gilded voice. Tints of country savor add dollops of bewitching hues – making War Line a must-listen-to EP.

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