I rarely judge an album by its thematic elements. Like all art, music can and should be an intimate experience between artist and audience. With that said, some of the most passionate forms of art often come from the brokenhearted. It doesn’t have to be about a failed relationship or a jilted lover, but there’s something incredibly liberating about someone rising from the ashes and moving forward despite being hurt. This is my favorite element of Sad Penny’s vibe on Sun Cured and Nightside EPs.
Originally part of the indie duo The Saint Johns, Jo Meredith got Sad Penny off the ground with the single “Addison” back in 2017. Soon after she released her debut EP Sun Cured, produced by Grammy Award-winning Daniel Tashian. Sun Cured felt like the soundtrack to taking life by the horns and healing one’s self with confidence and hope. The follow-up EP Nightside takes a closer look at the darker side of moving on. With vitriolic anthems both bitter and triumphant, it’s easy to see Meredith knows what she’s capable of.
Teaming up with Soul Step Records, Sun Cured, and Nightside are combined into a single album for Sad Penny’s vinyl debut. Side A features Sun Cured and Nightside on Side B. Not only does it make a complete album, but it plays well into the various ways a person can choose to get over a difficult past. Do you ignore it and press on? Or maybe you dissect it and reveal the toxicity for what it really is?
Jo Meredith just might be Nashville’s best truthful and direct indie rock and roll songwriter. For fans of Soccer Mommy, Snail Mail, and Courtney Barnett, Sad Penny blends elements of guitar-driven indie rock with the raw emotion of bedroom pop creating a soundtrack for relationships both beautiful and disastrous. No matter if you carry a full heart or even a broken heart – Sad Penny has filled this record with a song for you. Drop the needle and get hit in your feelings!
Sun Cured/Nightside is available on vinyl exclusively at Soul Step Records.
