By Jimmy Sears
Bea Miller has yet to release her second studio album, but there’s activity going on in her camp as she released her latest EP, “Chapter One: Blue.” “Blue” is the first of three EPs, with the latter two, “Chapter Two: Red” and “Chapter Three: Yellow” to be released in the coming months. “Chapter One: Blue” is about the realization that someone in a person’s life is toxic, yet while one knows this person is toxic, it’s hard to part away because of attachment.
A slower tempo begins with “A Song Like You,” which describes a song she listens to. This song never tells her the truth. She can’t get this song out of her mind, and plays it every night. The echoes, snaps and slow beat create a feeling of being isolated, which would apply to the line, “there is nothing outside this room.” There may be a case of benign entrapment for Miller, as she sticks with the devil she knows and replays this song, which could be a metaphor for an ideal. Outside of Miller’s room are the horrors of the world, while inside her room she remains in her bubble while listening to this song that soothes her.
Track 2, “Burning Bridges” is about a breakup where Miller yearns for that person’s return while also knowing how that person is toxic. A chorus looms around while a sense of decay brings it to a head. The chorus singing “London Bridge is falling down” also adds a nice, ironic touch. Finally we come to Track 3, “I Can’t Breathe.” Perhaps the most beautiful track, “I Can’t Breathe” is a cry of nostalgia where Miller wishes to return to a better time where nothing felt amiss. Miller constantly repeats “I can’t breathe,” which can get repetitive, but towards the end a gorgeous orchestra really brings out the beauty of this track’s instrumental.
All three tracks have a strong composition with a soothing sound. The lyrics on the EP, except for “I Can’t Breathe,” have good variation, which stands out for me. It’s easy to appreciate the quality of all three tracks, and I look forward to hearing “Red” and “Yellow” when they come out.
