MEIKO: YOU AND ME

If the red heart that reads YOU AND ME on the pink notebook album cover didn’t give it away, well, this is clearly a Valentine’s Day-themed release. Something that should not surprise Meiko’s longtime fans, who know the indie pop singer to be a hopeless romantic addicted to writing and singing love songs.

The E.P. opens with a cover of the classic “The Very Thought Of You,” which was written by Ray Noble and made famous by such legendary singers as Billie Holiday, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. Meiko doesn’t have a powerhouse voice like those singers, so she does it in a lower key, but she maintains the melody and sings it beautifully, making it quite enchanting. While the song has plenty of very organic instruments, she also gives it a modern vibe with a snappy beat you’d expect to hear in an electropop song.

The second track is an acoustic version of her hit song “Leave The Lights On” from her brilliant album The Bright Side. It’s a song that would seem to be about forbidden love. “I know that it’s a secret, and that I’ve gotta keep it, but I want the lights on,” she sings, insisting. As the song goes on, her performance becomes more and more emotional and she really makes you feel something, conveying longing in a way that not every artist can.

“Our Love Is Here To Stay” is a bright new song with lush production that blends acoustic and electronic sounds in a very light, uplifting manner. It reminds me of Lenka’s second album, Two, perhaps partially because Lenka had a song called “Here To Stay” on that album with a similar theme and overall vibe. Meiko’s song, which is clearly very heartfelt, also reminds me of A Fine Frenzy’s delightful first album.

“Stuck On You,” here in an acoustic version, also originally appeared on The Bright Side. Of all the tracks on this E.P., this is probably the one I would suggest first-time Meiko listeners listen to first. It’s basically just her and her guitar, delivering a stripped-down rendition of one of her best songs. Hearing the song like this, it will show you what sort of songwriter Meiko is while introducing you to her sweet voice.

Finally, we have “I’m In Love,” another track from The Bright Side. It would seem that the version here is the actual album version, not a new or acoustic take. But, hey, it’s a gorgeous, catchy tune and it fits perfectly here, so no complaining.


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