He Sees Me is the latest single release with accompanying video from rock powerhouse Savannah Pope. Fans of Savannah Pope more or less know what to expect from her, however, this is something of a surprise. The veil has slipped somewhat and Savannah invites us to view her inner soul. Intimate, fragile, self-effacing and tragically artsy, He Sees Me is a wondrously personal work. Savannah Pope has delivered again. Here at Record Box HQ we can see little to stop this shimmering light from going stratospheric. And rightly so.
In stark contrast to He Sees Me, we have Junior Brother providing the bookend material this week. Two excellent tracks from this rising Irish singer-songwriter from the shared EP with Powpig. Opening the show is the view ruined by swans that is The Back of Her. Another belter from Junior Brother closes today’s show. Reminding Richard of many of his fondest acquaintances is the wonderful Full of Wine.
Tobin introduces an unfathomably intricately headed new feature for the show – best tracks from other people we know and have heard from before, or something like that. Anyway – it’s a ridiculous title but a great listen. This week it’s CAAMP.
More from NuNorthern Soul
We have the welcome return of Torn Sail this week, following on from the Joey Fitzgerald remix of Disconnected last week. This time it’s an unmixed original from Nottingham-based Huw Costin – the man behind Torn Sail. Likewise as Savannah Pope, this Torn Sail track is quite intimate and personal.
We have the welcome return of Harmony Byrne this week, a week that should have seen her debut LP drop. Her management team have shared this LP with us, however, we aren’t allowed to pre-release any of the tracks off of it. More’s the pity, because it’s a solid and excellent production. The LP is delayed, and likely to drop in July at the earliest. The music industry clearly visibly shaken by the international COVID19 crisis. Still, it’s always good to have something to look forward to…
- The Back Of Her Junior Brother
- Common Man CAAMP
- Loving You Is Lonely Harmony Byrne
- Lebanese Blonde Thievery Corporation Feat. Elin Melgarejo
- A Beautiful Life Torn Sail
- He Sees Me Savannah Pope
- Atomised GoGo Penguin
- Full Of Wine Junior Brother
He Sees Me marks the first single from her forthcoming EP
After serving up two of the most ambitious releases by an independent artist to date, Creature and Rock ’n’ Roll No More, Los Angeles native Savannah Pope is back to break new ground with her visually-charged musical prowess.
When you take your cues from artists as heavy and diverse as David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Egon Schiele, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, can there be any doubt that things are bound to get interesting?
He Sees Me marks the first single from Savannah Pope’s forthcoming EP. You’re Such a Human Being, is due later this year. The release takes a sharp detour from her previous works. Stripped down and intimate. Painterly imagery is paired with one of the most sensually raw yet catchy songs from her catalogue. He Sees Me is described by Savannah as her “very first love song”. You could argue that it inspires a darker, lustier vibe than your typical wide-eyed foray into romanticism. At the same time, it bares a heartbreakingly genuine tone. Savannah usually charges into the first verse with a hard-hitting vengeance. However, she takes a much slower, personal approach with He Sees Me. Laid bare (in every sense of the word), she brings us into the relationship with her.
He Sees Me visually arresting
The video for He Sees Me is sure to rattle a few cages. It drives a dagger through the heart of body image norms. A highly sexualized frenzy of passion, art, and paint. It begins innocently enough with the lyric “He knows me better than I know myself”. Savannah’s truly out-of-this-world vocal range soon leads us on a downward spiral to the sexier corners of her psyche. Shortly letting us know how her lover “turns (her) out so rude …” Suggestive? Yes. But somehow not trite. Only an artist as talented, honest, and creative as Pope could pull this type of statement off. It’s not contrived or purposefully provocative. She tempers each lyrical description with emotionally-charged vocal interludes that cut right to the bone.
Those just discovering Savannah Pope may very well be taken aback by He Sees Me. Especially in the age of pop and cookie-cutter indie. Those familiar with her previous works are already aware that she’s never been afraid to break artistic conventions. Her entire catalogue is peppered with (unbelievably true) autobiographical narratives and twisted fantasies. It’s so bizarre that it’s probably wise to have a lyric sheet handy while listening. If this release is any indication, her new material will certainly crush any notions of Pope selling out. Neither will she be compromising for an easier path to success. But success is a certainty for a talent like this. Since the release of her first album Atlantis last year, Savannah has wowed the press with her growing artistic presence.
What critics say about He Sees Me
LA Weekly named her the city’s best hard rock performer, calling her live show a “… full-blown theatrical spectacle”. Pope’s “… powerful vocals are as big and brassy as her visual presentation is colorfully fantastic.”
Yahoo Entertainment listed her Creature music video in their top 20 of the year. This alone marks her as a formidable underdog on a list of otherwise major artists. Editor Lyndsey Parker wrote, “This (piece) from Los Angeles glam goddess has everything.”
