Natalie Good – Close to Closure [EP]

In her EP, Close to Closure singer Natalie Good has written a set of songs from the perspective of someone trying to sort through the wreckage of an exceptionally deceptive and damaging relationship. The album spans six tracks, each one capturing a different aspect of this woman’s struggle to reconcile her regret over lost love and manipulation with the need to move on and find a path toward closure. As the album progresses, Natalie goes through a rollercoaster of emotions, questioning her past and confronting the harsh realities she has been forced to face.

The album opens with the sunny feeling of “For A While” which comes across as a cheerful pop-soul piece, but in reality, it tells the story of Natalie discovering her partner’s financial fraud on the eve of a planned romantic getaway. The song’s upbeat tempo and easy, breezy vibe belie the emotional turmoil that is happening inside of Natalie. The album continues with the somber piano ballad “Deep Down” which details how, even though the singer feels an almost unbearable pain, she still feels a strong connection to her ex. Despite the betrayal, Natalie still loves her partner and is having a hard time excepting that things are over. The song is a beautiful representation of how difficult it can be to move on after heartbreak, but also shows her strength in being able to admit this in such an honest way. In an effort to give some background on the song, Good writes “This song was the hardest song that I ever had to write…I cried all the way through recording that audio. You can hear it in my voice. It’s raw and so so real to me…” Her voice is definitely the most powerful part of this song and the pain in her voice is undeniable. It’s clear that she poured her heart into this track and it really shows.

“One Sided Stories” continues the theme of heartbreak and pain, with its slow-tempo arrangement and lyrics that delve into the effects of being gaslighted by a significant other. Good‘s voice is exceedingly tender on this track and really paints the picture of a person who is being pushed to the brink of their emotions, yet still trying to hold on. While minimalistic, the production on this song is also really well done, with a lot of space for her vocals and harmonies to breathe. “Guinea Pig of Love” is a bit of a departure from the previous two ballady tracks and returns to the bright-but-still-pained, pop-soul vibe of “For A While”. Our girl sounds a bit more empowered and fed up with the B.S. she’s had to deal with. It ain’t hard to tell that she’s reached a turning point and there’s less hurt in her voice and more righteous anger. From the jump, you can feel the change in energy as the song builds to its first chorus. And when it does, it’s almost like a breath of fresh air for listeners who are happy to see our leading lady forcefully call out her ex and others for being dicks. The production on “Guinea Pig of Love” is also a bit more upbeat, with a steady beat and soaring harmonies to help bring the song up to speed.

The album ends with “Pretty Girl Hate” and “Trauma Bond,” two songs in which Natalie reflects on the strong bonds she formed with other women as a result of her ex-partner’s betrayal. In “Pretty Girl Hate“, Natalie celebrates the power of female friendship and camaraderie that helped her to pick herself up after such a traumatic experience. Over beautiful strings and piano notes, Natalie sings of the strong sense of resilience and sisterhood that can arise out of moments of intense pain. In “Trauma Bond“, the sweet-voice singer expresses her understanding of the way relationships can sometimes become unhealthy, and that we must be careful to never lose ourselves in someone else. Both songs draw the album to a close on a note of hope and provide a sense of closure for the listener.

This album is an exploration of the aforementioned topics, but it also becomes a personal journey and self-realization for Natalie herself. On Close to Closure, every little minute detail of the storyline isn’t the most important ingredient. What makes the EP such a powerful brew is the fact that we’re traveling with the singer through one of the most trying periods of her life and still find a reason to clap our hands and smile at the end of the journey. As heavy as some of these songs are, this album never feels bogged down by pain or misery: instead, it ends on a pretty positive note, which makes a nice bookend to this cathartic journey.

You can show your support by streaming the EP on your favorite digital music spot below as well as check out more from Natalie Good by visiting the links listed.

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( Amazon | Apple_Music | Bandcamp | Deezer | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube_Music )

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