Dubbing herself Mallrat, Australia’s latest rising star is Grace Shaw. The seventeen-year-old just debuted her EP Uninvited, featuring her single “For Real,” and the EP’s title song, “Uninvited.” Full of energy and sarcasm, these songs are ones we wished we had the whole summer to enjoy.
“Tokyo Drift” is a good introduction into Mallrat’s sound and voice. However, it’s not quite the strongest lyrically, and wouldn’t have been my choice to open the album. But she bounces right back with “Inside Voices.” It is different in sound, upbeat but still sweet; an easy favorite.
I love the lyrics in “Uninvited” and their honesty. “Smiles are always toothless/But I run out of excuses/So I have to play excited/But I wish that I was uninvited,” will especially hit home in today’s world. Mallrat actually reminded me a lot of the Hunger Games, and I could see her fitting right into that soundtrack world with the likes of Lorde. The lyrics in “Uninvited” are very reminiscent of the world of the Capitol, which in fact is a comment on our own society.
“Sunglasses” follows the same notion of “Uninvited” and the fake reality of the world. It gets a bit repetitive but still has you nodding your head and itching to whip out your own shades. Meanwhile, “Suicide Blonde” has a harsher undertone–appropriate to the song title and lyrics. It’s got the sentiments of Ed Sheeran’s “A Team” thrown at you in a Kesha meets Taylor Swift style. Different to say the least.
“For Real” is another instant favorite. It feels easy breezy, and again, I wish we’d had it for the length of the summer, it’s just that feel-good.
Check out Uninvited today, and stay tuned for more about Mallrat right here.
Rating: 3/5
Filed under: Reviews Tagged: album review, ep review, mallrat, music creates us, new music, uninvited
