CD of The Week

Sydney Sprague - somebody in hell loves you (Rude)

Phoenix, AZ singer-songwriter Sydney Sprague released her debut album maybe i will see you at the end of the world during some of the darker days of the pandemic, then wrote and recorded her new record, the sophomore release somebody in hell loves you as a reaction to those times. Sprague’s honest, personal songwriting caught the attention of the likes of her fellow Arizona natives Jimmy Eat World, who brought her out on the road with her. Released earlier this fall, somebody in hell loves you is full of confessional, engaging indie-pop tunes.

The record kicks off the big, bright guitars of “if I’m honest.” The complex, chugging “lsob” (as in “lucky son of a bitch”) finds Sprague obsessing over another couple and what they have, as she sings, “I'm happy for you, but not genuinely / You got what I wanted I wish it was me.” She gets major points for the single “overkill,” where she rhymes “stone cold stunner” with “Homestar Runner” while deploying some cool hip-hop and pop production tricks.

There’s a great guitar solo in the middle of the widescreen pop tune “smiley face.” In the fuzzed-out “hello cruel world,” Sprague ruminates on moving to an unsafe new home base to get away from a bad situation. The catchy, anxiety-laden single “terrible places” finds her mind racing and making up potential awful scenarios where another person could be.

somebody in hell loves you wraps up with “sketching lessons,” as Sprague drives off into the distance repeating, “A big long road / A while to go / Forever basking in the glow.” If you’re a fan of ‘90s alt-rock artists in the Juliana Hatfield mold, spend some time (in hell?) with Sydney Sprague.
Review by Joey O.