The powerful, dynamic songwriting of Patti Zlaket grips throughout the deluxe-edition release of her first album, The Promise. Ranging from the rousing rock soaring of “Pretend” to the title track’s dreamy singer/songwriter introspection, The Promise showcases an artist whose knack for mood, atmosphere, and emotively compelling songcraft is strongly evident throughout.
The deluxe edition represents the first of multiple, after Zlaket’s recent signing to Meridian (ECR Music Group). A series of fully remastered, deluxe-edition reissues of her complete recordings are underway, preceding a forthcoming new album and West Coast tour. “The Promise was music I birthed in my early twenties,” Zlaket says. “When I listen to it now, I hear innocence blossoming into maturity. I hear my youth, my naiveté, and my vulnerability as a musician, a singer, a writer, and a human being.” All seven tracks within stir in their moving productions. Smooth brass pairs with gentle piano for memorable effect on “The Rescue,” while “All She Wanted” infuses jangly guitars and a soulful vocal immersion for a replay-inducing success.
The deluxe edition also comes with a riveting bonus track in “Somewhere Down The Tracks.” Solemn piano-set beginnings traverse into an expansive second half, with alluring backing vocals that contribute a lush momentum. Zlaket describes the bonus track as “about how you can’t make another person happy no matter how hard you try, or pray, or dream, or suffer for it. But you can free yourself from their unhappiness. This song is about being on the precipice of that decision.” The Promise shows an abundant of quality songwriting throughout, and has us fully anticipating Zlaket’s upcoming new album.
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“Somewhere Down The Tracks” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.