Palmyra -- Restless
Palmyra presents us with a gorgeous and tender nest of neuroses on their masterpiece debut Restless.
Anxiety pop are the keywords to Palmyra's album Restless. The Virginia trio have such a tight-knit chemistry that it's their debut album. Restless invites us into a gently melodic nest of neuroses. The title track introduces us to the album's themes: gender dysphoria, financial anxiety, frustration with the grind of working as an indie artist – how can you spend all day expressing yourself and still have people not get it?
While the lyrics are cutting, Palmyra's also got chops. These achingly vulnerable songs would not hit their mark without the trio's lovely mandolins, inviting bass (best highlighted in "Can't Slow Down"), elegant harmonies, and lead singer Sasha Landon's passionate explosions – truly using their voice as an instrument in every sense.
"Shape I'm In" is the band's calling card, the one that earned them a nod from Tiny Desk and features the trio (which also includes Mānoa Bell and Teddy Chipouras) calling upon the best of their talents. While the song details Landon's wrestling with bipolar disorder and dysphoria, the trio's care for each other permeates the song. Even as Landon sounds lost, we are comforted knowing they have support.
While Restless is primarily characterized by a sense of loss, "No Receipt" is a rare, sing-songy moment of contentment in spite of the vagaries and frustrations of touring. The song neatly captures Palmyra's facility with blending traditional music with rock and pop. In the band's capable hands, none of these influences are out of place; rather, they flow into a comprehensive whole.
The standout song is "Dishes," which captures both the intimacy and isolation of touring. There are so many demands on one's heart when you're so far away from your loved ones – and, of course, temptations. That push and pull to leave and to stay creates tension, which Palmyra illustrates here. "Dishes"
