A short but sweet showcase of human experiences
Two-time Grammy-winner Molly Tuttle has recently graced fans with her acoustic, 17-minute EP, So Long Little Miss Sunshine. Paired with only her vocals and acoustic guitar, Tuttle is able to provide audiences with a calm but fast-paced EP that explores themes of love and self-reflection.
The two main themes expressed in this album are obviously simple ones many can relate to; I’d argue the more ubiquitous one is that of self-reflection. There are some who might have yet to experience a great love story, but for most, there are usually moments in our lives where we feel it’s time to self-reflect on our path in life and decide weather its time to change, for better or for worse. The two tracks that perfectly explore this theme are “Old Me (New Wig)” and its predecessor, “The Story of my So-Called Life”. When the song begins, audiences may come to the conclusion that this is a typical country breakup song, but as she continues, we come to realize she’s not singing of two parties, but really of one: herself. She passionately sings about how she’s shedding her old personality for a new, bolder, confident one.
The next song, “The Story of my So-Called Life”, Tuttle creates a timeline of her past to present and takes listeners on a tumultuous journey of her life. She unabashedly describes her life story and refuses to hear anyone’s opinion on it, reflecting the new confident persona she describes she’s embraced in the previous track.
Another theme explored throughout this EP is one familiar to the country genre: love. The songs that explore this narrative are coincidentally the opener and closer and the two are completely juxtaposed with one another. The first song, “The Highway Knows,” details the story of undying love, with the subject matter being personified as a car on a never-ending road. On the other hand, the album’s closer, “Easy,” describes what happens when a relationship reaches that endpoint. In this, audiences are presented with a breakup, one consisting of two parties this time, where Tuttle isn’t left with sadness or regret for her partner because she finds out he cheated on her. Although this wasn’t the catalyst for the breakup, it helped absolve her of the former pity she had when breaking the news to her former partner.
Tuttle’s masterful writing is on full display throughout all five songs, but “Rosalee” is where her craftsmanship is best conveyed. In under four minutes, the Grammy winner is able to tell the full story of a runaway fugitive, Rosalee. Listeners first learn how others perceive Rosalee and how Bill saw this as a challenge. With this, he decides to approach her, but is too controlling in his efforts, an action Rosalee doesn’t appreciate, so she shoots him dead. From then on, she’s been on the run until she eventually grows old and becomes a story of adornment for some, but a cautionary tale for others. Aside from her writing, this song also showcases Tuttle’s multifaceted nature, as not only does she grip audiences with her writing but also with the quick-paced strumming that adds another level of intensity to the already captivating story.
All in all, although this five-track EP is somewhat simple and straightforward with its messaging, the writer uses this to express her creativity in other ways, either through her writing or with her guitar. While old fans get to revel in the calming nature of Tuttle’s music that they know and love, new audiences are granted relatable stories that many are guaranteed to enjoy.
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