Review: Hannah Brewer - Catch and Release
published on
Woah, where to begin?
That's the sort of question an EP leaves you with when you know it has really hit home. For a moment I was more than just speechless, but left with the flavoury sensation of craving more, a sensation that I can recall from my childhood after eating a particularly good dessert or right after watching a suprisingly moving movie, but I'm not a child anymore and those sweet desserts and movies have become a rather normal experience, yet, Hannah Brewer got me feeling all of it again, for something I wouldn't even just call music, the same way those desserts weren't just pastries; they became cristalized memories, and through that, become a part of who you are.
But who even is Hannah Brewer? Born Australian with an amish background she's a swiss army knife of a musician, Hannah kickstarted her career in 2023 with her debut EP: Child of Divorce where Hannah presented a musical confession of profound vulnerability which strikes as a Yang for Catch and Release's Ying, the stellar EP that got me writing down her name as soon as I heard it
The EP opens up with Chew Toy, a track that just by its sound alone stands out. Wonderfully produced by Pat Byrne and with a mix that you can't help but recognize as professional really makes you wonder why this isn't being played on the radio. That's just the technicality of it, though, because in emotion you can find an equal amount of dedication, Hannah sings with a sweet cadence and a soothing confidence that gets you hooked with ease, something which only rises as the next track plays.
Hook in the Mouth. Probably my favorite track of the EP- but that's probably my soft stop for bassy, fearless instrumentals speaking but oh is it not just the bass, the distortion on the guitar feels executed to perfection, bringing an incredible contrast against Hannah's lulling melody, a sonic marvel brought by the co-production of Oscar Sharah, CherryJuice and Hannah herself.
Third track is Tenpin Haven, hitting soft and passionately with a catchy tune that made me want to hold someone's hand and take a walk, one that heads nowhere in particular but is enjoyed thoroughly, one of those careless moments of joy we don't get enough in life.
"Wearing those ugly shoes in a tenpin haven
Somehow we both end up naked
Tripping over untied laces
Striking out cause I’m impatient"
The EP reaches its climax at Small Town Rockstar and Whatever You Like, two tracks that on their own shine with great personality but together take you through a storm of emotion that leads perfectly into one final song, but not without first making it clear that Hannah is here to stay and knows the game. Small Town Rockstar features yet another producer in Edvard Hakansson, bringing an incredible direction for a song that feels melancholic as much as it feels forward facing, excited to look into the future and while initially Whatever You Like seems to take a step back in intensity, by the end of the track that is completely brought back with strides of tension and closure that finally arrives -
The final track, Yes, Man begins and for a moment I pictured myself at the end credits of this film, one concocted by Hannah Brewer herself, it's no surprise she calls herself a storyteller, as this is the moment we all can stand and celebrate with an applause for what she allowed us to experience, the flavoury sensation that ties it all together and leaves you wanting more, that is Catch and Release, and must I say, what a fitting title for exactly what the EP does.