Review by Shannon Shumaker
Allison Weiss has always been a master at writing simple, yet incredibly catchy and relatable songs, and her new EP, Remember When is no exception to that. In fact, about halfway into the title track of the record, I knew that this short, five song EP would be one of my favorite releases by Allison Weiss to date.
“Remember When” is the first track on the EP, and it’s arguably one of the strongest. It’s upbeat and high-energy, all while keeping that vibe that makes Weiss’ music so unique. After “Remember When” comes “Giving Up” which keeps the same upbeat pace as the first track, even with the more melancholy lyrics. Weiss is a master at combining happy, upbeat tunes with honest and real lyrics, and I’m torn between feeling for her and bobbing my head along toward the end of the track while she belts “I’m giving up.”
The third song on Remember When is easily my favorite song on the EP. While it’s definitely slower than the first two tracks, the lyrics on “The Fall” are what really carry this song and make it hit so hard. Lines like “I didn’t know what I wanted but I wanted you” and “when you’re young it’s so easy, til’ reality calls” are goosebump-inducing and ridiculously relatable, and honestly, that’s what makes this album so great. Weiss’ lyrics are definitely one of the strongest points on Remember When.
After “The Fall” comes an acoustic cover of Robyn’s hit song “Call Your Girlfriend,” and just when I thought I couldn’t love the pop ballad any more, Allison Weiss comes along and releases this beautiful, stripped down version of the song and it absolutely makes my heart melt. While “Call Your Girlfriend” is already an emotional song to begin with, it’s even more powerful with just Weiss’ soft voice and the acoustic guitar. The cover also keeps with the overall theme of the album – of past relationships and breakups – and fits in perfectly. The last track on the album also deviates from Allison Weiss’ normal catchy, upbeat tunes, but once again, the lyrics and the simple guitar are just enough to keep me hooked and listening. The only gripe I have about the entire album is the way that the vocals were altered on “Take You Back,” but after a few listens, that small flaw is easy to overlook.
Overall, Remember When is amazing – easily one of my favorite releases by Allison Weiss to date. The only bad thing about this album? It isn’t longer. Which honestly, that’s not even a bad thing, that’s just me being selfish. Thankfully, It’s easy to just hit repeat after listening to Remember When. Every single song on this EP is strong in its own way and incredibly relatable, and I’m definitely excited to see Allison Weiss perform some of these track on The Vans Warped Tour this summer.
Rating: 4.5/5
Listen to “The Fall”