Happy Whore

Self-Released 

Street: 02.18

Poeina Suddarth = Honey Honey + Amy Winehouse + Janis Joplin

Poeina Suddarth’s vocal range is insane. Her sharp-yet-sweet voice travels everywhere from upbeat skit-skat jazz on “Natural Disaster,” all the way to relaxed grass-plains country sounds on “Gasoline” and “White Mr. Beauty.” In many instances, her voice sounds a lot like Hayley Williams of Paramore, though she masterfully dives into spaces Williams wouldn’t dare go. The real lobe-lasher is “Coral Reef,” where Suddarth squeals out high-pitched operatic vocals over rich acoustic cross-picking—I’m still pulling glass shards from my ears, but it hurts good.

Tracks like “A Man Like Me” and “Hey Sister” are dressed in a lightly grim, heart-aching atmosphere (call her Edgar Allen Poeina) that adds excellent dynamic tension. Overall, Suddarth has cultivated an intriguing vibe with a little bit of everything; it’s lustrous, eclectic, and damn sexy. If Poeina Suddarth is a happy whore, I’m a happy client—this tumble was worth my time. –CJ Morgan