‘In many cultures children born with a dominant left hand were taught not to use that hand, and were told that using the right hand was ‘normal’ and ‘correct.’ Similarly, queer children are often times told that it’s not ‘normal’ for them to love who they love and that they need to change’. ‘Left Hand’, Becca Mancari’s third album finds the singer-songwriter taking ownership of their existence and trying to work through an alcohol dependency and troubling mental health issues.
‘Don’t Even Worry’ opens the album in atmospheric fashion, Becca asking ‘Honey, where do you go?’ before demanding ‘Give me all you’ve got’. There’s a gentle experimentation and gospel undertones that continue through to ‘Homesick Honeybee’. This poignant song about heartbreak and finding comfort can be filed alongside ‘Digital Ash’-era Bright Eyes while ‘Over and Over’ provides a nostalgic and slightly regretful look back at youth: ‘I was invisible back in the closet’.
‘Don’t Close Your Eyes’ has an ethereal feel as Becca considers mortality – ‘You only get one life, you only get one time. Are you ready?’ – amidst potent bursts of guitar. ‘Mexican Queen’ offers a tender plea to a loved one – ‘With everything stacked against us, do you want to give it a go?’ – while the title track is more of a stream-of-consciousness mind map being used as a form of therapy as Becca decides to let go of caring of what others think.
‘I wanna try like I’ve never tried. I wanna live for the very first time’ are the key lines from ‘Eternity’, a determined, defiant and decidedly romantic piece, while ‘I Needed You’ is a wistful piece reminiscing on past mistakes: ‘How you gonna leave me for so long? I know we hurt each other but we’re running out of time’. ‘You Don’t Scare Me’ is darker and more industrial with talk of crushed spirits and chunky riffs while the closing chamber pop of ‘To Love the Earth’ has a gorgeous, cyclical guitar hook and beautiful words about loving someone forever that would make Sufjan cry…
‘Left Hand’ is the work of an artist growing in confidence while also having the ability to evoke every single emotion with every note…
