Strawberry Launch’s self-titled debut EP delivers hard-hitting lyrics, virtuosic arrangements, and a compelling story told through their vibrant lens.
Reviewed by Reggie Katz, edited by Ash
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, don't forget to support Strawberry Launch by streaming and/or purchasing the EP! The links to the project on all major platforms, including Bandcamp (where the album can be purchased), can be found via Strawberry Launch's Linktree page.
I WAS INTRODUCED TO Strawberry Launch through Taylor “Tilly” Hurt, the keyboardist, background vocalist, and current student in the Music Tech program. A couple of things caught my attention before listening to the EP, the first being the album cover. Simple in nature, but wisely crafted, the album cover looks like an arts & crafts project Van Gogh might have made as a little kid. The cover represents a literal take on the band’s name, the large strawberry on the cover doubling as a rocket ship in outer space. The cover even includes what Saturn would look like if it was a strawberry. All of this is charming and fits the band’s aesthetic. The second thing that stood out to me was that this group is an entirely female-fronted band, which isn’t necessarily that common in the indie-rock scene. These ladies, Tilly (keys and backing vocals), Riiza (lead vocals), Abby (bass), Matrianna (guitar), and their drummer Benjy, have already started making their mark, sharing the stage with Beach Bunny and Hot Flash Heat Wave, and receiving a write-up in Rolling Stone India. With all of these achievements under their belt, I had high expectations for this EP. Safe to say, they were exceeded.
“Crystal Eyes” is the velvety and ambitious outset of the EP that welcomes us into the psychedelic musical universe Strawberry Launch has created. The track is entirely instrumental, with the exception of a chopped-up spoken word sample placed far back in the mix for added texture. It’s always risky for an artist or band to begin a lyrical project with an entirely instrumental track, especially in this case, when the instrumental is a little shy of 5 minutes in length. But it’s clear that the band has a soundscape they were going for in this project, and the first track only helps to establish it. The song starts off with a synth reminiscent of the 80s pop sound, a sound that reminded me of Wham! or Foreigner, repeating an ostinato on its own until the guitar comes in and follows the same pattern. When the drums came in, I first noticed how much space they filled. These drums sound like they were far-tracked, and you can really hear the room they were recorded in. The track builds and builds into this big, bombastic climax, eventually coming down until all we have left is the bassist leading us out with a killer bass line, played deep in the pocket. Even though I think this track was executed very well, I wish there were more lyrical elements throughout. On the contrary, the fact that the band establishes their sound before incorporating any words gives us more room to focus on the lyrics of each song without getting disoriented by the production. It was a courageous move for the band to start the EP with an instrumental, so they prove early on that this will be an interesting EP that isn’t going to play safe.
After having a 3-minute dance break in my room to “She”, I listened to it again closer so I would have something to say other than “this is She, the divinely danceable 2nd track off of the EP.” This song strangely reminded me of the sound of an early Vanessa Carlton; it’s a very light song that’s easy to listen to, but written in a way that allows for a lot of depth and emotional resonance. Many pop songs are written such that the choruses, rather than the verses, have the highest melodic peaks so that the choruses retain the greatest emotional impact. This song does the opposite. Normally when a song is written like this, it doesn’t work very well, but they sure did pull it off. With the verses peaking so high, it really emphasizes why the “She” makes the narrator feel so special, and makes us float into the soft embrace of the “She” with the narrator during the choruses. The song does have some cliché lyrics such as “turning water to wine,” keeping your “eye on the prize,” and having “two left feet,” but I didn’t mind them since they didn’t distract too much attention from the rest of the song. There’s practically no pitch correction used on Riiza's voice. It sounds like she just has great pipes. This track is pleasant and carefree, and definitely worth a listen.
“There’s no one to curse at but me”, Riiza exclaims, in this indie punk-pop song, appropriately titled “Fork”, which is the third track on this project. It talks about having some blockage in your mind, knowing it’s entirely your fault. This song plays on cliché as well, but the ideas of them are expanded upon more, which is swell because now we get to hear the narrator’s thoughts on this cliché. Having a “fork in the road” is a phrase that is used so frequently that it has now become cliché, but the song did expand upon the idea regarding why they felt like there was this blockage in their mind. Compared to the rest of the tracks on the album, this track is one of the weaker ones, but still well-executed. Melodically, it didn’t travel very far and it felt like we were building up steam in the previous tracks, and we lost it a little bit in this song. The musical talent is still very much here though. It’s evident that another trait that makes this indie band different from the rest is their distinguished musical abilities.
Matrianna's opening guitar tone felt like a mixture of tones from The Beatles and Silk Sonic on “Sophie”, the 4th track on the project. I consider this song to be the beginning of the falling action of the journey of love that this narrator once felt. Built on a simple refrain of “Sophie, it’s funny how things change”, the track explores the concepts of dichotomy and internal conflict through rapid changes in presentation. The first section is a light-hearted description of Sophie, singing some lyrics that might even be considered affable. When they switch to the second section, there’s a large shift in energy, with Riiza exclaiming “no I don’t want to know you, Sophie.” It feels like the narrator is having a battle in her mind about whether Sophie is good or bad for her. Because of this and because of the lyric “Sophie stranger to my mind,” it seems like Sophie might be the “fork in the road.”. There’s a really nice guitar solo toward the end of the song. Nothing crazy necessarily, but it demonstrated control as well as Matrianna's ability to play in service of the song, rather than playing to show off. I thought this track was fantastic and definitely worth a listen. The echoing final lyric “I wonder if you know me” ushers us to the penultimate track on the EP.
One thing that is consistent with each lyrical song on this project is that every first lyric hooks the listener in. The fifth track on the EP, “That’s on Me”, continues the internal and external struggles that have defined the rest of the project to this point. The story of the song is vague enough for many people to relate to, but specific enough so that it has some meaning. Screaming in the high school parking lot, wanting to be with someone who just broke up with their girlfriend, and giving in to urges of love that we can’t suppress are themes that a large sum of listeners could relate to. There are some clichés in this song as well, but I don't mind them since they’re strategically placed throughout so the track doesn’t end up feeling lousy. I wish the vocals were less touched up in this track, but the talent shines through still, and deeper messages spark in this song when Riiza sings “I know it might hurt, but that’s on me,” invoking themes of possible self-sabotage which is difficult for the narrator to take control of.
The opening chord progression on “The Sun.”, the final track on the EP, is a really beautiful progression that we haven’t heard anything like yet on the EP, played on a heavily reverberated guitar. This track is a nice closer to signify the fact that even though Sophie may not be in the narrator’s life anymore, she’ll always be remembered. “I stare at the sun ‘cause I know you’re out there staring somewhere” is a nice final comment on Sophie implying that you can see the sun everywhere you go, so Sophie will be remembered everywhere.
Overall, I thought this album was superb, and definitely one of my favorite student projects I’ve listened to this year. There were a lot of clichés throughout the project, but there was even more personal interpretation, original thought, proficient musical abilities, tremendous production skills, and a great story. I really enjoyed the lofi-esque mixing and mastering, and the dark turn the EP took towards the end regarding themes of self-sabotage in relationships. Even though this EP is self-titled, the title does seem to relate to the idea of the project; if you’re trying to grow something sweet, like a strawberry, or a relationship, it can easily become sour if you aren’t careful. Worthy of all the praise, including mine, I am excited to see how far this band will go, and I’m even more excited to see what music is in store for them next.
Personal enjoyment score: 8.5 out of 10
Standout Tracks: “She”, “Sophie”, “That’s on Me”, “The Sun.”
After having a 3-minute dance break in my room to “She”, I listened to it again closer so I would have something to say other than “this is She, the divinely danceable 2nd track off of the EP.” This song strangely reminded me of the sound of an early Vanessa Carlton; it’s a very light song that’s easy to listen to, but written in a way that allows for a lot of depth and emotional resonance. Many pop songs are written such that the choruses, rather than the verses, have the highest melodic peaks so that the choruses retain the greatest emotional impact. This song does the opposite. Normally when a song is written like this, it doesn’t work very well, but they sure did pull it off. With the verses peaking so high, it really emphasizes why the “She” makes the narrator feel so special, and makes us float into the soft embrace of the “She” with the narrator during the choruses. The song does have some cliché lyrics such as “turning water to wine,” keeping your “eye on the prize,” and having “two left feet,” but I didn’t mind them since they didn’t distract too much attention from the rest of the song. There’s practically no pitch correction used on Riiza's voice. It sounds like she just has great pipes. This track is pleasant and carefree, and definitely worth a listen.
“There’s no one to curse at but me”, Riiza exclaims, in this indie punk-pop song, appropriately titled “Fork”, which is the third track on this project. It talks about having some blockage in your mind, knowing it’s entirely your fault. This song plays on cliché as well, but the ideas of them are expanded upon more, which is swell because now we get to hear the narrator’s thoughts on this cliché. Having a “fork in the road” is a phrase that is used so frequently that it has now become cliché, but the song did expand upon the idea regarding why they felt like there was this blockage in their mind. Compared to the rest of the tracks on the album, this track is one of the weaker ones, but still well-executed. Melodically, it didn’t travel very far and it felt like we were building up steam in the previous tracks, and we lost it a little bit in this song. The musical talent is still very much here though. It’s evident that another trait that makes this indie band different from the rest is their distinguished musical abilities.
Matrianna's opening guitar tone felt like a mixture of tones from The Beatles and Silk Sonic on “Sophie”, the 4th track on the project. I consider this song to be the beginning of the falling action of the journey of love that this narrator once felt. Built on a simple refrain of “Sophie, it’s funny how things change”, the track explores the concepts of dichotomy and internal conflict through rapid changes in presentation. The first section is a light-hearted description of Sophie, singing some lyrics that might even be considered affable. When they switch to the second section, there’s a large shift in energy, with Riiza exclaiming “no I don’t want to know you, Sophie.” It feels like the narrator is having a battle in her mind about whether Sophie is good or bad for her. Because of this and because of the lyric “Sophie stranger to my mind,” it seems like Sophie might be the “fork in the road.”. There’s a really nice guitar solo toward the end of the song. Nothing crazy necessarily, but it demonstrated control as well as Matrianna's ability to play in service of the song, rather than playing to show off. I thought this track was fantastic and definitely worth a listen. The echoing final lyric “I wonder if you know me” ushers us to the penultimate track on the EP.
One thing that is consistent with each lyrical song on this project is that every first lyric hooks the listener in. The fifth track on the EP, “That’s on Me”, continues the internal and external struggles that have defined the rest of the project to this point. The story of the song is vague enough for many people to relate to, but specific enough so that it has some meaning. Screaming in the high school parking lot, wanting to be with someone who just broke up with their girlfriend, and giving in to urges of love that we can’t suppress are themes that a large sum of listeners could relate to. There are some clichés in this song as well, but I don't mind them since they’re strategically placed throughout so the track doesn’t end up feeling lousy. I wish the vocals were less touched up in this track, but the talent shines through still, and deeper messages spark in this song when Riiza sings “I know it might hurt, but that’s on me,” invoking themes of possible self-sabotage which is difficult for the narrator to take control of.
The opening chord progression on “The Sun.”, the final track on the EP, is a really beautiful progression that we haven’t heard anything like yet on the EP, played on a heavily reverberated guitar. This track is a nice closer to signify the fact that even though Sophie may not be in the narrator’s life anymore, she’ll always be remembered. “I stare at the sun ‘cause I know you’re out there staring somewhere” is a nice final comment on Sophie implying that you can see the sun everywhere you go, so Sophie will be remembered everywhere.
Overall, I thought this album was superb, and definitely one of my favorite student projects I’ve listened to this year. There were a lot of clichés throughout the project, but there was even more personal interpretation, original thought, proficient musical abilities, tremendous production skills, and a great story. I really enjoyed the lofi-esque mixing and mastering, and the dark turn the EP took towards the end regarding themes of self-sabotage in relationships. Even though this EP is self-titled, the title does seem to relate to the idea of the project; if you’re trying to grow something sweet, like a strawberry, or a relationship, it can easily become sour if you aren’t careful. Worthy of all the praise, including mine, I am excited to see how far this band will go, and I’m even more excited to see what music is in store for them next.
Personal enjoyment score: 8.5 out of 10
Standout Tracks: “She”, “Sophie”, “That’s on Me”, “The Sun.”
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