When the fall season needed them most, the alternative rock band, Sixpence None the Richer released a new EP after twelve years of hiatus. Members Leigh Nash, Matt Slocum, Dale Baker and Justin Cary met earlier this year to plan the new album and upcoming tour.
The band’s 1997 album, “Sixpence None the Richer,” helped skyrocket their popularity, placing them on music charts worldwide. The two most acknowledged songs on that album, “Kiss Me” and their cover of “There She Goes,” ranked No. 2 and No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sixpence brings that same iconic sound heard in their earlier songs to their new six-song, twenty-five-minute-long album released on Oct. 4.
“Rosemary Hill” begins with “Thread the Needle,” a song that reminds me of “Waiting On the Sun” featured on their 2002 album: “Divine Discontent.” Both songs use contrasting tones of desolate yet bubbly, most likely due to the two songs using a C major and 8B Camelot.
“Thread the Needle” is arguably the perfect choice to be the first song on their album. The song speaks of finding peace within conflict and navigating your wayout of a dispute. Sixpence None the Richer’s hiatus was caused by a mix of label issues, personal problems and album delays. With all these conflicts thrown at them, they managed to thread a needle and create this album.
“Julia,” the second song on the album, was released earlier this year on Sept. 13, as a single. Despite the high-hope message delivered in the previous song, this Julia seems to have her life crumbling before her eyes.
The song, after making mentions of Julia’s horrible home life, mentions that her life is still up to her and not her parents. While no one knows who Julia is or who the song was inspired by, the message of creating your own life with your dreams speaks to a primarily college student population.
Sixpence None the Richer officially returned on August 16, with the single “We Are Love,” the third track on “Rosemary Hill.”
“We Are Love” uses a mixture of the soft beating of drums and gentle guitar that differs from the chorus — with the heavy, emotional playing of an electric guitar. They used their 90’s roots to create this “from the heart” song.
I didn’t care for “We Are Love” as much as the others. While the song spreads a positive message, the overall execution comes to sound like a cookie-cutter movie scene of the main character telling everyone to put their differences aside.
“Child and Man” is the heartrending song of the album. The track conveys a love that is falling apart; the title “Child and Man” representing the immaturity and responsibility put on the couple.
Nash sings the lyrics “I was the child and the man” for the first chorus, but for the next two choruses she sings, “You were the child and the man.” During the outro, the lyrics are, “I see you now and I love the sight. We made it through, we did alright.”
These song lyrics remind me of the first song on the album, “Thread the Needle,” of finding that balance in conflict. Both people in the song are described as the child and the man, creating a balance of immaturity and maturity. The main difference in “Child and Man” compared to the other songs on the album is the love song factor. While other songs have a couple lyrics reminiscing on past love, this is the only true romance song on the EP.
“Homeland” is my personal favorite from the album. The song makes me feel as though I am watching the end credits to one of the best coming-of-age movies I have ever seen while simultaneously ripping my heart out from the immense feelings of homesickness I feel while listening to this song.
“Homeland” is meant to feel this way however, the song is based on New Braunfels, Texas where the band was founded. The sentimental song reminisces on the moments spent in the town.
Sixpence None the Richer ends the EP with “Rosemary Hill.” This song ties the album into a delicate ribbon, and untying this ribbon throws nostalgia and sweet feelings full force at me — making me crash to the ground similar to the lyric “Where the bikers crash and the skaters spill.”
The drums and bass guitar in “Rosemary Hill” pick up at the perfect moments, when Nash’s singing truly comes from the heart and there is a desperate tone to her words. The passionate vocals mixed with the clash of drums and riffs of the guitar help paint an emotional picture.
With Nash’s vocals and Slocum’s guitar playing, Sixpence None the Richer returns with a solid EP. This album is full of nostalgia not just by the song’s lyrics speaking on this theme but of how the band managed to keep their signature sound 31 years later.
This six-song album discusses themes of childhood, adulthood and the memories associated with these concepts. Having grown up with Sixpence playing in my household, the band coming back during my first time moving away from my family, and speaking on these feelings and experiences I am going through has created a memorable album that I will find myself listening to on repeat.
