One thing we’ve come to learn about Elisabeth Beckwitt over the past year is that she pulls no punches. Her lyrics and message are transparent and soul-bearing, examining the human condition and the challenges we face in overcoming our struggles.
So, taking that understanding into our first listen of Elisabeth’s new EP, Other Side of Sober, we can certainly say we got what we came here for!
Preceded by singles “Lovely,” “Think You Are,” and “Fake It,” Other Side of Sober features three previously-unreleased tracks that examine the non-linear nature of recovery, and the beauty that we often find in even darkest of places.
Opening track “Waves” washes over us by acknowledging the highs and lows of mental health and recovery, and serves as an appropriate introduction to the themes of the record. A bit later, the ambient, jazzy “Casual Breakup” addresses the void left by those we’ve grown to care for, even when our relationships with them were less-than-serious in the conventional sense. This track is also notable for its sweet sax solo, courtesy of Other Side of Sober producer Jason Threm.
Bookending the fitting opening statement of “Waves” is the equally-appropriate “Grieving.” A tender piano ballad, the closing track grapples with the idea of gratitude, as Beckwitt explores a nostalgia for the darkness of her past. By giving a voice to that feeling, Beckwitt acknowledges that, even after finding the light, there’s a mysterious energy and comfort in our previous tribulations that continues drawing us back.