Published Feb. 25, 2021
BY EMMA BROWN
Released on Feb. 12, Christian Leave’s second EP, “Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head,” is a marker of the changing tone of the mainstream indie genre. Previously a traditional indie musician, Leave broaches a new style of music production with his most recent release, increasing the use of electric guitar and drums to create an almost alternative feel to the songs.
The first track, “Bedache,” falls short of the mark because of its use of basic drum beats. Imagine opening GarageBand and picking out the first beat–that is essentially what Leave uses during the song’s intro. The song is redeemed by its masterful use of guitar and overlaid vocals, giving the track the kind of depth that many of Leave’s previous songs lack.
Despite branching out into new sectors of the indie music scene, Leave maintains lyrical themes about loneliness, as described by a young adult. Leave’s lyrical talent is put on display in his latest work, with complex verses and well-constructed bridges, simultaneously unveiling a lack of thematic range. The continual emphasis on struggles of teenage life makes each song a slightly different repetition of the same theme. With lyrics mainly focusing on feeling stuck and anxious, Leave does very little to broach other topics within his tracks.
“Hard Wad Body” is undoubtedly the best song on the EP, as it contains the deepest lyrics and highest quality production. The track depicts modern pressures, successfully exploring the range of emotions felt by adolescents by going from soft verses to rocking choruses. Showcasing anxieties takes center stage again in “Your Life Your Time,” the only collaborative song on the album. The track depicts a youthful relationship, once more, with fretful undertones.
While melancholy certainly holds a place in the musical universe, Leave makes no attempt to branch out from the monotonous sadness that his lyrics illustrate.
Although the EP is relatively short with only five tracks, “Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head,” is successful in its landmarking of Christian Leave as a substantial musician and a frontrunner in an evolving genre. By blending two distinct sounds, the EP, in all of its uniqueness, is a memorable representation of a happy medium between alternative and indie music.
8.5/10
