Sarah Close is a British singer-songwriter from the United Kingdom. In late march of this year she released her debut album “And Now, We’re Shining”.
The album opens up with “If It Was Me” that narrates the hardships of having a difficult conversation with someone who you once were close with pointing out that if it was the other way around Close would have intentions of not being as hard on the other person and putting herself in their shoes.
The album continues with “Cool”, an ode to the consequence of social media and how desperately everyone seems to want to be noticed and deemed as, well, cool. The playfulness in the song underlines not taking yourself too seriously which accompanies the message of the song perfectly.
“Crazy Kind” paints the picture of a summer escapade with your significant other to a foreign city. It feels fresh and fun and gives a holiday vibe in every corner of the song with its catchy melody and cheeky lyrics.
Followed by “You Say”, the fun and romantic vibe crumble rapidly when Close calls out the counterpart of the song for playing mind games. In a catchy beat and seamless harmonies, the singer explains the hurt they caused and how she moves on from someone who didn’t truly want her.
If there’s one song Close’s fans were excited for her to officially release it was “Patterns”, the soft, almost ballad-like in which the singer expresses worry for someone she cares deeply about. She explains how she wishes she could take all of their pain away but doesn’t exactly know how to help.
In “Almost”, Close once again shines with stunning harmonies (cc: “You Say”) and a fun melody even if the lyrics don’t go down that path. In the song, she explains the ups and downs of a relationship and how it was close to ending but eventually didn’t. She expresses that she held onto the good memories to keep going. The title of the album appears when Close sings “(And now we’re shinin’, hey)”.
The record closes with “Stay”, the slowest and rawest track on the album. The singer begs her significant other to not put an end to their relationship because it’s not over for her yet and she wants to keep trying to put things back on track. The sincerity and hope can be heard clearly in her voice and its heartbreaking to hear how she just wants her lover to not leave her side.
The album explores feelings of love, heartbreak, and regret throughout the 7 songs that posses a certain harmony with each other, seeming very similar and unique all at the same time. Featuring an indie-pop vibe that mixes modern trends with 80’s sounds, the album is energetic even in its slower attributes and showcases perfectly the range and knowledge that Close posses to make more than a great debut.
