Skeleton Key EP - Nerina Pallot : REVIEW

Skeleton Key is Nerina Pallot's third (and in my opinion greatest) EP to date. It went on sale in April 2010, and Pallot has called this her 'most thematically linked EP so far'.

Wolf And I 4:33
And So It Should 3:07
Break Up At The Disco 3:25
Is This A Low? 5:56
Skeletons 3:31



The opening track is 'Wolf and I', the only track I'd heard prior to the release of the EP via the 'I Don't Want to Go Out' sessions that Nerina broadcasts on ustream on Monday nights at 9pm. I had heard the song played on the piano, but the EP version contains spooky electronic backing music, a haunting drum beat and eerie intertwining backing vocals. The first line bears reference to the final track on the EP, a cover of 'Skeletons' originally by Rickie Lee Jones; 'I dream of a song from 1981'. Fans of Nerina didn't find out the true meaning of 'Wolf and I' until September 2010 when Nerina gave birth to a beautiful baby boy nicknamed 'Wolfie', and the lyrics finally revealed a whole new meaning. This song shows a whole new side to Pallot that we have not witnessed before showing thoughts about motherhood, fears during pregnancy and life with child. 'Wolf and I' is such an honest song, and this contributes magnificently to the overall beauty of it. This really is an excellent opening track.

'And So It Should' is the second track on the EP. This is a really wonderful acoustic guitar track, capturing some of the most prominent worries that growing up entails. It is also a tale of wanting more from life. The song begins rather quietly but as Pallot's voice grows stronger, the track brings in piano and backing vocals. 'And So It Should' contains some of Pallot's finest lyrics to date, including 'cast like a stone in the deepest blue, rolling oblivious 'til I came to', and 'blinded by beauty that I have seen, in this world we've never been', and of course, the repeated line that acts as a sort of chorus: 'My heart cries out for more, and so it should'. The lyrics suggest that Pallot is secretly hoping for more from life. I absolutely adore this song; it shows a slightly darker side to Pallot than the album released six months before this EP, 'The Graduate'.


The third track on the EP is the fantastically upbeat 'Break Up At The Disco'. Pop takes over completely in this song, I feel like it's something I ought to have danced to in the 90's. This is my favourite track on the EP for a number of reasons, including the ingenious lyrics. Some of my favourites are 'I don't lose but this ain't winning, take me back to the beginning, I've just about had, just about had just, just about had enough', and 'when I said I was open-minded, what did I know'. Also, the widely used repetition creates a great effect that adds to the excellence of the track. The electronic beat works perfectly with Pallot's strong vocals and this really positive song makes me smile every time. The 'so what?!' attitude that Pallot portrays here gives us a different perspective from her usual sombre and melancholy song-writing; which is a warmly welcomed change. It's almost too good for an EP, and I still have my fingers crossed that it will make Pallot's fourth album. There's a reason why this is one of my top 10 most played tracks on iTunes.

Track 4 on the EP is 'Is This A Low?'. This track is something entirely new that we haven't seen from Pallot before. Nerina herself described this EP as some of her darkest work, and that is displayed overpoweringly in 'Is This A Low?'. What a contrast from the tracks on the 'Junebug' EP and Pallot's third album 'The Graduate'! The strong guitar contrasts with the softer voice that Pallot uses on this track. The lyrics tell a story of depression and low emotions and confusion. This song shows a more experimental side to Pallot's work, demonstrating all sorts of ideas that we have not seen from her before; however it reminds me somewhat of a song that would fit into 'Dear Frustrated Superstar, Pallot's first album quite nicely. The closest song of Pallot's that I could compare it to is 'If I Know You'. A very 'different' track, but beautiful in it's own right.

The final track on the EP is the previously mentioned cover of 'Skeletons' by Rickie Lee Jones. The first word that springs to mind is 'beautiful'. Such beautiful vocals from Pallot, laying on top of delicate piano. This track especially demonstrates Pallot's abilities as a vocalist, as she is not the lyricist here. The song tells the tale of a pregnant woman whose husband gets mistaken for a criminal and shot whilst they are on the way to the hospital to give birth, based on a real story. I believe that this is a track that Nerina would not have been able to put her heart and soul into had she not experienced pregnancy and such worries herself. Such a beautiful track that is so different to Jones' original, but so similar at the same time.



This EP is a masterpiece of creative ideas and insanely brilliant music. This is a great album to listen to if you want to hear something a little different and a lot darker than Nerina's usual music. Recommended to anyone who enjoys music from Nerina Pallot and is interested to hear to new ideas that are presented in this much deeper and darker, but equally brilliant EP.

Junebug EP - Nerina Pallot : REVIEW

Junebug was the second of three EPs released by Nerina Pallot, a London-born and Jersey raised singer-songwriter. It was released in June 2009, three years after the second release of her second album, 'Fires'. Pallot is renowned for writing her own songs, but on this EP she introduces her husband Andy Chatterley into the works as co-writer.

1. Junebug 4:10
2. Bloom 3:58
3. God of Small Things 3:21
4. How Do We Cope? 3:06
5. This Will Be Our Year 4:00


The first track on the EP is the title track: 'Junebug'. Penned by Pallot and Chatterley the song kicks off with a rather risque first line: 'Let's take off all our clothes'. A lively guitar song, much more 'pop' in genre than tracks from Pallot's first album 'Dear Frustrated Superstar' and much of her second album too. The chorus begins 56 seconds in with the fantastic lyric 'How did we know, when we met, we would feel this? How did we know it would be so beautiful?' This is where I realised that this is a love song, a very personal one. Admittedly it took me a few listens to really love this song, and now I find it rather Kylie-esque. Nerina's voice works beautifully with the strong guitar chords. A very pretty little ditty.

'Bloom' is the second track on the EP, a very summery song indeed. Another guitar track which tells the tale of wishing and dreaming for the future, for a successful life, 'It's never too late to bloom'. It describes a girl who grew up believing she'd make it some day, and at the same time a woman who asks 'Do you wish your life would go another way?'. The lyrics appear to me as tentative, for example 'we close our eyes and dare to hope', which I find an extremely beautiful line. Bloom is a very thought-provoking song, made up of positive chords and strong vocals from Pallot. I really like this song, it always cheers me up with it's optimistic views on the word.

The third track is 'God of Small Things', the only track I'd heard prior to the release of the EP, as it had been posted on Nerina's Myspace page a while earlier. This is my favourite track from the EP; to me it comes across as an innocent message to God. Pallot is a religious person, and she conveys some very personal thoughts in this song. The piano creates a more melancholy tone to such an exquisite track. Pallot questions a number of things including God's existance, the workings of the world and my personal favourite, 'Do you keep your blessings for the rich, the pyres and their guns? Or if you're half the man I hope, you root for everyone'. This is much a softer song than the others on the EP, but so very beautiful.

'How Do We Cope?' is the penultimate track on the EP, the last guitar track. 'How Do We Cope?' presents Pallot's strongest vocals on the EP, and uses repetition in the lyrics to incredible effect. The title explains the song well, but I think it's about the decline of a relationship. It is a very powerful song that boasts a number of excellent lyrics, for example, 'My heart beats like an express train'. I would yet again describe this track as 'Pop' in genre, it's very catchy and rhythmic. I have a lot of love for this song.

The final track on the EP is entitled 'This Will Be Our Year'. A stunning piano song full of hope for the future. Once again Pallot presents us with powerful vocals and beautiful lyrics, including 'Hope we're heading for a future and not heading for a fall'. It's a song about making do and keeping on keeping on, because everything brightens up eventually. I feel like 'This Will Be Our Year' is a sad song, yet has optimistic connotations. It encompasses feelings of doubt about the world, and life in itself, creating a very thoughtful track. I adore this song.

Junebug is a very exciting EP, beginning with very summery and light music, which evolves to show a darker side of Pallot. I would highly recommend this EP to anyone who enjoys Nerina's music, and anyone who enjoys pop, acoustic music and beautiful lyrics.