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Long Neck Releases The Introspective “Soft Animal”

Introspection, self deprecation and sadness are the words of the day for our review of Long Neck’s latest full length album, “Soft Animal.” It’s the fourth album from the folk band, and it continues the bands signature style of down-to-earth folk music that also speaks out on darker themes.

Folk music is a breeding ground for discussion and commentary on deeper topics. The genre is predicated on its songwriting, with simpler arrangements and songs that are meant to mean something. This is something Lily Mastodimos and her band are more than aware of. To this end, “Soft Animal,” takes full advantage of this, sending a strong message on self worth.

The song “Ants,” for example opens with the lines “If I can’t put a pen to paper, what good am I.” It’s a shockingly common sentiment among people in the modern era, where self worth is tied to superficial ideas of what you’ve accomplished. It leaves many people feeling boxed in and depressed, and the songs address this. If anything, “Soft Animal,” is incredibly relatable for many people.

This sentiment is echoed by other songs like opening track “Evergreen,” where the singer bemoans her inaction and how she’s wasting precious time. But between it all, moments of levity are added in. In “Ants,” lines like “I need to get out of this room, I need the space to follow through,” show that sometimes all you need is a bit of room to breathe and explore yourself.

As with many folk albums, the songwriting is key to whether a folk album lands or not, and we’re happy to say that “Soft Animal,” is excellent in this regard. It makes fantastic use of its genre to provide a spectacle of storytelling. Every song contains musical choices that carry weight and make strong use of the limited sound of folk albums.

Singer Lily Mastrodimos’ also carries a lot of the album, with her voice carrying powerful emotional gravitas in every line. The emotion of every song comes through, from the tired and weary tones of “Gardener,” to the celebratory, joyful vibes of the title track “Soft Animal,” and even the angrier takes of “558,” which adds harsh synths to the mix.

“Soft Animal,” is a strong showing for Long Neck, with brilliant use of their medium to produce a lovely little album. Echoing our sentiment from earlier, “Soft Animal,” is painfully relatable, especially for anyone who’s ever been unsure of themselves. It touches on topics with care and understanding, and on top of that it just sounds great. We can’t wait for what the band comes up with next.

https://longnecklass.bandcamp.com/

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