Sedona’s latest full-length album, Getting Into Heaven, is a vulnerable dive into her personal life. She shares soul-bearing stories that sit on top of carefully crafted guitar riffs. Sedona collaborates with big players in the indie scene (Claud and Charlie Hickey), making the project a well-rounded collaborative effort, with her remaining a primary producer.

Getting Into Heaven is a guitar-based record. Riffs on either acoustic or electric guitar open nearly every song and are integral pieces of the composition. Sedona leans into both clean-tone wobbly electric guitars, bordering on surf-rock, on songs like “Headfirst” and “Every Once In A While,” as well as darker, grunge tones on the chorus of “She’s So Pretty.” She often keeps the verses lighter, leaving room for the lyrics to shine and the choruses to hit harder. The instrumentation stays simple throughout the record: guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. The sparse addition of sparkly synths makes them stand out and shine even more, like the intro riff of “Baby Run.” Sticking to a simpler instrumentation ensures that each part serves a specific purpose and leaves the mix uncluttered and straightforward. It is easy to see how these songs would transfer well into a live band setting, and it seems like that is the lens through which they were composed.

There are ballads on the record that sit between these heavy-hitter songs and give the project breathing room and contrast. Acoustic-guitar propelled “Best Kept Secret” feels intimate, as if she’s playing it live in the room with the listener. Slide guitar weaves between the acoustic guitar and vocal as a smooth, shimmering counter-melody that adds dimension to the track. The only song not guitar-centered is “Knock On Wood,” which opens with a lo-fi felt piano and pedal steel. The instrumentation change piques the listener’s interest, and the hook tugs at their heartstrings as Sedona describes wishing an old love the best, despite the pain they caused. The drum pattern relies on samples, particularly an R&B-sounding snare and hi-hat, further expanding the album’s sonic palette.

Sedona’s intense and raw vocal delivery is the thread that pulls every song together. It makes catchy hooks like “Every Once In A While” feel like a song straight from the credits of a ’00s movie. The angst in which she delivers her honest truths forces the listener to sit up in their seat and makes her lyrics even more colorful. The lyrical standout on the album is “Baby Run,” which flips the idiom into “run your mouth all over me.” It’s an anthem of frustration about wanting someone despite them not telling you the truth. Sedona does a great job of writing hooks that flip everyday sayings into a catchy chorus. By pairing them with descriptive, personal verses, she delivers captivating stories that connect deeply with listeners.

This album comes just in time for summer, reliving teenage glory days with the windows down.