The post-COVID landscape should be a fertile one for a thoughtful singer-songwriter, but it still seems that few have been willing to jump in. When Sonia Tetlow writes a song called “Kicked the Covid”—and includes the line, “But it’s true, it kicked me the first”—she proves to be the perfect one for the job.
Tetlow’s already written plenty of hard-hitting songs about the changes in her own life, and these particular changes give her a lot to work with. The title song does indeed hope for better days but does so in a gritty and clear-headed way: “Keep on keeping on is easier said than done when you’re stuck on the what for/ And it’s hard to know in isolation what really matters anymore.” The reassurance comes from the band kicking into a strong groove that’s part The Band and part Procol Harum, a sound that brings out the natural bluesiness in Tetlow’s vocal delivery.
Tetlow’s two-time bandmate Paul Sanchez is in the producer’s chair (they’ve been in both the Rolling Road Show and Cowboy Mouth together) and gives the album a classic-model analogue sound. There are a few nods to vintage rock (including a bit on U2 on the one Sanchez song here, “Be the Light”), but it also sounds like a hot band playing together right now. Familiar names André Bohren, Jonathan Pretus, Mary Lasseigne, Russ Broussard and Glenn Hartman do the honors, though Tetlow’s own mandolin takes the lead a few times (and made me think of “Losing My Religion” at least once). Sanchez also sings the part of the hapless guy in “Been Trying to Tell Ya,” who tries to hit on the singer when her girlfriend’s around; it’s a strong statement that also happens to be hilarious.
Tetlow doesn’t stick with the pandemic theme all through the album; there are a couple of touching songs about taking stock after a relationship, and one about the lingering effects of the Trump era (“Won’t Give In”) that’s appropriately mad as hell. With this album she brings her musical sides together (she’s done punkish rock and acoustic songwriting in the past) and proves she’s a songwriter to be reckoned with.
