Mel Stone - Princess, Part One EP review

Princess, Part One is finally here. I have covered and followed this since all the way back in July having reviewed both singles, “Cat’s Song” and “Simone.” If you need a quick refresher as to what this project is though this is the first is a set of double EPs by independent singer, songwriter, internet presence Mel Stone. Mel has been pretty busy musically over the years having released a long string of six stripped back minimalist EPs leading up to the more grand scheme full band project Coast from last year. This undertaking however sees things in a much grander sense with Mel needing two EPs across this and Part Two sometime next year to get everything in this narrative out.

As I said, we’ve already covered the singles to this point and they are right at the top of the tracklist but I will give them a once over. First to be released was “Cat’s Song,” the laid back telling of a deep seeded battle with depression. Then there was “Simone,” which is actually track one, the upbeat, danceable rock tune with pretty angry and unapologetically disrespectful lyricism. Frankly I still think that it will go down as one of my top songs of the year.

“Everything” may be the biggest track here as far as sound scaping goes. It opens with a slightly disjointed riff but once it gets past the initial notes it’s another joyful sounding rock club instrumental. Midway through the track there’s something that sounds like a horn section that even kicks back in later and leads into a guitar solo section and the entire instrumental break just sounds so huge and grand. The track also closes with a very nice percussion outro that’s subtle but makes a nice end point. In terms of lyrics on this one I see this as a similar vibe of “Simone” where it’s sonically very fun but contrasts a bit in the story presented. This time we see Mel being a bit flirty, a bit willing to forgive but maybe also a bit fed up? Lines like;

“I can’t carry you to bed but I won’t push you out the door, playing house until the game get’s boring.”

Does show a bit of patience but Mel also demands an apology around the same verse, which, later in the track she points out has an expiration date. There is also a really powerful line here in;

“Is it too late for me? Am I used up and spent? I can’t give you a baby but I’ve still got love left.”

That to me hits just as strongly as the very angry line in “Simone.”

Mel really shows her classic rock influences on “Broken Brain.” The intro, interlude, recurring riff and even a vast majority of the encompassing vocal performance sounds like it would fit right at home in a Rolling Stones song on this one. (“Wake me up when it’s my turn to drive?” classic) The solo on this one though still sounds unique toward this project in itself and comes not so much to break up the song but just as a punch to keep things fresh. Speaking on that vocal delivery too this is incredibly raw, Mel even gets shaky at times in the best way especially at that “running and running” bit. Mel is also just as quotable as ever, if you needed yet another hard hitting out of context line see;

“I’m a brick up against the wall, you need a woman who can make you a mom.”

The EP closes out with “Rose Quartz” a track that has another classic rock sounding intro but this time in a much chiller setting as Mel paints a picture of separation that, while she is offering us, is a letter to herself to remember to practice self love, that she isn’t alone. All at once, without even a slow down as a warning, the track goes from the classic Mel Stone stripped back sound to another huge fully realized anthem with even another horn section. Mel sounds really intimate here really belting lines of vulnerability. It progresses a bit from here in the way most of the record does and then fades to an ending.

Overall, I think this is the best Mel Stone release by far. I don't even feel Coast comes close and that certainly wasn’t a low effort on her part. From here the most we can do is look forward to part two, which I am curious to see play out. The final moments here paint such a moment of closure in terms of sound design anyway that it’s hard to see where it will go but I’m looking forward to it all the same.