Indie Light

PEGGY is an indie-pop singer/songwriter and musician from Boston, Massachusetts who blends her love of books and fictional characters into her music. I recently came across the artist on Instagram and enjoyed their music so much I jumped on the opportunity to talk about it. Speaking of which, today I’ll be reviewing their EP ‘DEAR READER’ which was released April 26th 2024.

‘FEMININE RAGE’ has a nice bass and percussion driven beat that has just the right energy and forward momentum to capture the vibe evoked by the title. Throughout the track, we are walked through various famous narratives where the woman in the story is unfairly villainised. A particular highlight is her discussing the legend of Medusa, often portrayed as a villain in popular media, despite being an obvious victim, she truly puts the tragedy in Greek tragedy. It’s an incredibly strong track even if you’re not familiar with the stories discussed within, it has the right level of energy and righteousness. PEGGY proves in this opening track that they are not only a talented lyricist, but create strong and engaging musical compositions. 

‘ALICE’ starts off slower, with more melodic vocals, and a nice back and forth structure. It’s really catchy and I’ll admit that this track has been stuck in my head all week. This track discusses Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and it’s a really clever dissection of the narrative, especially the related context of mental health, and the idea that it’s all a delusion. Again I have to comment not only on PEGGY’s incredible lyricism as this song is incredible, but also the rhythm and beat make this song so much more memorable. I cannot believe that I’m only just now hearing from this artist because she’s so phenomenally talented. 

‘MESS’ piano chords blend with vocals, it’s an energetic track, with a nice ebb and flow, and with each track I’m more engaged. I love the energy and melody and seriously PEGGY is a strong lyricist, but an equally talented vocalist, her voice suited thus far to each of the different styles presented in the tracks so far, speaking to their range and raw talent. This track is exceptional, bolstered even further by some solid piano melodies throughout which just tie the whole thing together nicely.

‘FLIGHT RISK’ is slower, a strong percussive beat woven throughout adding some texture and weight, juxtaposing the softer and lighter vocals, and man I once again need to comment on how sensational her voice is. She’s equal parts soulful and emotive, and the result is a perfect synergy of melody and performance. I don’t think there’s a single track on this EP I won’t be think about for at least a couple weeks. 

‘30 SECOND LOVE STORY’ has light piano chords, a simple melody that perfectly supports her heartfelt and resonant vocals. I always struggle to select a personal highlight, and even on this six track EP each number is uniquely perfect. However this track has a bittersweet, happy sad, melody that I just absolutely adore. So I think while it’s exceptionally close, this track snags the top slot for me. 

‘DEAR READER’ has an energetic, building piano melody, it starts off and flows back into a simple alternating two chord structure, but builds in complexity as the track progresses, and it has some more sensational vocals. This one discusses romances in popular novels. I really like the Wendy and Peter Pan hook, not only because that’s one of my favourites but also because it just flows really well. I absolutely adore this track, and it finishes up the EP on an extremely high note. 

So that’s what I thought of PEGGY’s EP ‘DEAR READER’ and if you want to check that out for yourself then head on over to Spotify. While you’re at it, make sure and support the artist by following them on Instagram.