Young Summer
Fever Dream
Reviewed by Stephen Krock
I wouldn’t say that DC-based singer/songwriter Bobbie Allen, working under the moniker Young Summer, is experiencing much of a fever in her new EP Fever Dream. You can’t deny its dreaminess though. As we bask in the lights emanating from Ellie Goulding, her fellow artists have taken to trying on that breathy, ethereal voice of hers for themselves. Young Summer is no exception and, for the most part, she succeeds.
The vocals are sweet, soft, earnest and, in the first few tracks, countered well with the driving pulse of a light techno beat. Lyrically, Fever Dream is largely heavy. “Stay close when I’m hard to keep,” she coos, but not quite emphatically enough. Young Summer’s voice isn’t quite powerful enough to carry much weight, but she comes closest halfway through the EP in “Letter Never Sent,” a duet with Nashville’s Trent Dabbs. It’s a quieter, subtler offering. Sprinkled with simple, but effective piano strokes, as the pair wails, “One day I hope you’ll say I’m the one that almost got away.”
From there, the tone shifts to much more singer/songwritery place as Young Summer mixes things up with a little country twang on the last three tracks. The mellow synth beats are replaced with coffeehouse guitar strums, albeit set to the same kind of ho hum lyrics.
If nothing else, Fever Dream showcases a respectable versatility. It’s not great, but it’s definitely good.
Rating: Listenable
