Album Review: Rebecca Karpen - My Little Legs Can’t Keep Up
Released: July 30, 2016
Little Legs has an impressive amount of cohesion for being Rebecca Karpen’s debut. The rhythms and melodies of the songs flow together nicely, although this feels like monotony rather than fluidity at points in the 4 track progression. On the EP, most of her songs utilize minor chord progressions with melancholy, dispassionate and angry lyrics to match; in this way, “Temple in Athens” stands out in stark contrast. Its chords are light and provide a pleasant divergence from the other tracks, and when paired with her strong vocals and caustic message, the song is the true highlight of the EP. Others, like the title track, have a strong foundation, but lack the execution of “Athens”. At a little over 10 minutes long, the eponymous final track uses mounting intensity and frustration to build tension until it screeches to a stop just after minute 8 to return to its original stupor. This relationship is similar to a tactic used often in musical theatre: a character sings themselves hysterical, then calms and thinks more rationally about their situation, returning to their original tempo and mood. While this characterization looks good on paper, its execution leaves something to be desired in its production. This same sentiment can be applied to the entirety of My Little Legs Can’t Keep Up. Overall, Rebecca Karpen proves with her first EP that she has potential to rock the alternative music scene with her powerhouse vocals and caustic lyrics in due time.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Listen To: “Temple in Athens”
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