A pensive mirror selfie of Emma Russack graces the cover of her third album In A New State. The album’s lyrics are largely centred on Russack becoming more self-reliant, and in the process you gain a deep understanding of her personal life – from the highs and lows of her romances to her feelings towards her New South Wales hometown and adopted home of Melbourne.
Cottesloe reminisces on times spent floating in the ocean, pairing these memories with intricate guitar work and a bubbling synth. If You Could See Me Now appears to be a snide message to an ex-lover, with Russack delving into her lack of a sex life over the last six months. But rather than expressing frustration, Russack appears content and says that she doesn’t need to have sex for self-validation.
Have You looks at all the contradictions that characterise a relationship, steadily building up to a crescendo before the song abruptly ends. While this track could have gone further, any disappointment is appeased by the following track Best Love. The song looks at the relationship a 16-year-old Russack had with an adult man, documenting the new world she was exposed to, along with her family’s disapproval. Paired with a charming instrumental accompaniment, Russack manages to perfectly capture the naivety of teenage love.
My Own Friend is the boldest track on the album, with a shoegaze-like quality to the guitars that come in sharp waves during the chorus. The lyrics comment on assimilating into the city and Russack recognising that she is “small and not very special at all”. While this may seem self-deprecating, Russack appears to be at peace with her place in the world and never appears plagued by the doubts that afflict most people of a similar age.
BY HOLLY PEREIRA
