Honest lyrics and haunting production
Hana Vu, a young indie-pop artist from California, recently released her latest album, Public Storage. On the record, she sings about a variety of topics from family to homes and God. She shares her thoughts and feelings through vulnerable lyrics that never hold back, accompanied by haunting, energetic production.
“April Fool” is the first track on the album, on which Vu sings about feeling helpless and out of control. The instrumental is haunting but leaves space for her voice and story to shine through. She includes harmonies throughout the song that add layers to the emotion in her voice and allow the story to be the focal point.
“Public Storage,” the title track, is another honest song. The dark rhythm guitar carries the song throughout the intro and verse. As the song’s intensity rises, so do the distortion and volume of the instrumental, leading to a culmination of emotion during and after the choruses. The topics of the song are dark and pessimistic—she sings about not believing in family and not knowing what is true. The dark lyrics match well with the distorted accompaniment and create a direct, forward narrative.
“Keeper” is an upbeat electronic song with bright drums and synths. Despite this optimistic sound, Vu still sings an honest narrative about love and knowing when it is not meant to be. The intricate and emotional lyrics contrast with the upbeat accompaniment, but they still create a dancey atmosphere that listeners can enjoy.
“My House” describes a scene of a dirty house and compares it to love. She asks her lover to turn items in her life into gold and create a new narrative outside of her “hole in the wall.” Minimal accompaniment begins the song with just a gentle piano. As the song escalates, a distorted guitar joins her with percussion to create a full sound.
“Everybody’s Birthday” is a depressing anthem about the passing of time. She sings about the experiencing of a year passing and people realizing they are not who they want to be. Everyone in this narrative is sharing the sadness at the celebration described. This accompaniment is upbeat, but she still gets across sad feelings with a distorted electric guitar and haunting vocals.
The last song on the album, “Maker,” asks a higher power for help. There is a helpless feeling behind Vu’s vocals and in her lyrics. She sounds lost and begs this higher power to “break [her] fall.” The haunting lyrics are sung with multiple harmonies, accompanied by an angelic guitar covered in effects.
Hana Vu shares the most honest version of herself with the world on Public Storage, with vulnerable, stripped-down lyrics and a series of gorgeous instrumentals. By expressing her outlook on the world in her lyrics, the listener comes away with a sense of her inner world. Altogether, this record is another haunting, memorable entry into her discography.
Leave a Comment