Kristi Knupp, who goes by the alias ‘Pretty Little Saturday’, leads an exploration of a pop and synth fusion that is the musical equivalent of a canvas being painted with gentle dabs of pastel and fluorescent tones.
Here’s a song-by-song breakdown.
Bulletproof
This track is a soft explosion of tones, with a gentle instrumentation accompanying the vocals, which has an almost glass-like quality owing to the singer’s timbre. A delightful song overall!
Little Bird
A peppy and whimsical track, this arrangement definitely lights up the scene in soft bursts of colour. It features a delightful guitar solo along with an airy underbed of instrumentation that moves and sways, keeping a solid groove throughout.
Long Overdue
The title track is definitely the standout; it features Knupp’s glistening vocals, multitracked to give a slight echoey feel, perfect for the arrangement. There’s a unique mix of vibrant and mellow, as the song shapeshifts from one end to the next, even blending the two seamlessly.
Tangerine
Super catchy and infectious, Tangerine feels like a summer holiday at the seaside. It starts with a few tinkles of instrumentation and drifts into the vocal section, which builds a mellow, breezy groove. Inviting the other instruments one by one, it builds up to a punch- a varied blend of flavours!
Lonely Ones
This track brings a cinematic feel to the arrangement; it’s one of those songs you’d hear in a teen coming-of-age montage. The instruments are subtle and very deliberately placed as fragments, putting the focus on the vocals. The whispered segments are a fun, unique touch.
Push
While ‘Lonely Ones’ featured a hushed, subtle groove, Push pipes up with the instrumentation and vocals, bringing in a more nostalgic vibe with the musical underbed. Another fun, whimsical piece!
Wildflower Eyes
This song adds a bit more flair to Knupp’s stylisation by adding unique harmonies and bringing back that ‘glass’ like quality seen in ‘Bulletproof’. The track also plays with the beat and phrasing, creating a fun interplay between the two in the bridge.
Afterglow
This one has a more sombre vibe to it in the beginning, but shifts to a subtle, dance-like groove with the shuffling of the rhythm section. Knupp’s vocals easily morph into a more instrument-like quality, showcasing her range of timbral variation.
Two Wrongs Don’t Make it Wright
With a rhythm similar to ‘Afterglow’, this song feels like a continuation of the same, but with a bit more edge, and a fluid and hypnotic soundscape.
Kind To Be Cruel
A swirling musical underbed, glistening harmonies, and a velvety vocal section from Knupp bring this song to life. The track brings back that ‘breezy’ feel to it, but with a touch of edge.
The Show
This track shifts between sharp and hypnotic. Each instrument brings in a new layer, enhancing the vocals, while also standing out with its own unique licks.
Too Late For Goodbye
A perfect finish to the glistening film reel that is this album, the singer bids an unwilling ‘goodbye’ not only within the song but breaks the fourth wall as well, in a tender, heartfelt moment singing “I Won’t Give Up’ as the song itself leaves an open ending, gently drifting off into the quiet.