Artist: Kirby
Album: Sis
Label: Roc Nation
Non-Arable Tracks: N/A
Description:
Sis is the debut release from singer/songwriter Kirby who is a Tennessee native and graduate of the Berklee College of Music. Each track of the album provides a peephole view into the mind of a girl who has fallen intensely in love with what appears to be the man by the name of Leon which is the title of the first track. The album opens up with this song as if inviting the listener into a garden of Eden in which sounds of birds and nature surround the ear to give a setting to the bliss she feels after having her heart stolen Even though this track is sung with a soft-spoken tone as if she is talking to the listener in confidentiality there is a hint of worry in the mood of the track since she expresses feelings of worry and desperation since hse does not want to lose her beloved or have to one day fall in love with another man.
The entire album then describes the throngs of her newfound relationship since the tracks “Kool-Aid,” “Velvet” and “Apple ” all give descriptions of what it is like to feel the most intense and pure aspects of love. Each song offers a different perspective on the budding of a new relationship from the giddy feelings of a rapid heart rate to feeling as if the entire city of Manhattan is a couple’s playground. This setup encapsulates the listener by incorporating influences of jazz and soul which depicts a summer romance that has the feelings of seemingly lying next to your beloved even if you are strolling through urban avenues or in a public eatery.
The tone of the album then shifts into a more riff-oriented style in the tracks “Penny,” “We Don’t Funk,” and “Don’t Leave Your Girl.” These tunes set the groundwork for the fall of the relationship as the intensity of her loves grows so does her self conscious thought process and precaution as she describes seeking advice on her love life, setting ground rules for the bedroom and telling the cautionary tale of what will happen if her heartthrob leaves his current relationship. Even though the album portrays that she is in a relationship the entire time the last three tracks explain how it is just her that has fallen in love with a man who is seeking comfort in her outside of a current relationship he is in with another woman. This realization to the listener also becomes apparent in the more “girl boss” style she begins to take in her lyrics and vocalization since her notes then stem more from the chest as she reasserts her dominance and self-assurance in her own life.
Kirby truly delivered on the entire album. Overall the tenor of the piece is one of timelessness and reflection as she describes her internal conflict concerning love through this diverse yet succinct coupling of songs. Whether you are in the midst of a long term relationship, grappling with the ethics of love or looking for good music to walk or study to “Sis will surely not disappoint.
Sounds Like: SZA, Amy Whinehouse, Alabama Shakes
Recommended Tracks: “Velvet”, “We Don’t Funk”
Reviewer’s Name: Peyton Riegel
Date of Review: February 23, 2020