Sevi Ettinger
Salty Water EP
Review by Gary Hill
Sevi Ettinger is 15 years old. That's important to remember when listening to this EP. It means that she's just beginning to develop as an artist. That's a good thing because her voice is quite strong, and she's very passionate about the problems in the world. Those two elements make this stand above some of the other less than stellar parts of the set.
The main issues here are about originality and over-production. This music lands pretty generically in the modern pop vein. This is the kind of thing that is all over the radio these days. That sounds like a good thing, right? The problem is, without a lot of unique nature, it's easy to become the flavor of the week and then just disappear without a lot of real impact. Add to that the fact that the production on the set is so artificial and trendy that this isn't the kind of music that will stand up well in a year or two.
Despite those negatives, though, this is an enjoyable set. Just don't expect it to stand apart from a lot of the other stuff out there. That's a shame because Ettinger really shows off that she has an exceptional voice. Her passion shows through, too. She deserves a better medium to show those things off. She's better than the modern pop flavor of the day. Here's hoping she gets the chance to show that in future releases.
This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2018 Volume 5. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2018.
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