Abby Carpenter - Puzzle Pieces

Abby Carpenter

Puzzle Pieces
​self-released; 2021

By My Nguyen

Singer/songwriter Abby Carpenter grew up in Rochester, NY and now lives in Ann Arbor, MI. She is currently entering her last year of undergrad in Music Composition at the University of Michigan. Though music has been a life-long passion of hers, Puzzle Pieces is her first release. The songs that make up this release were written throughout different times in her life and putting them together was like pieces to a puzzle, hence the title to her debut EP. Though Carpenter wanted to get more musicians onboard this project, due to Covid, this remained mainly a solo effort. But I thought while listening to this album, she manages to showcase her talent on vocals as well as her abilities on other sections of the record. With the help of mixing from Paul Q. Kolderie and Christian Charley and mastering from Elle Curtis, Puzzle Pieces really comes together in the end, culminating in an EP that showcases Carpenter’s raw singer/songwriter sensibilities with a flair for alternative and indie pop rock concoctions. 
 
Piece Pieces opens up with “I See You,” starting off with some keys. The vibe gave a very retro air to the track. Next, some drums come in along with Carpenter’s vocals. The drums are a little distracting when I would have loved to have this song focus more on Carpenter’s voice. Her vocals dance across this track, giving it a very feel-good energy. Moody guitars make their way on “Ego Hungry.” Next, a piano melody dresses this song. Her vocals are smooth and have a calming ability to soothe. Gradually, the music just builds, growing in groove, making for a dynamic and giant sound. This had a mixture of jazz, bluesy lounge and rock ballad all in one. Changing things up for a more vulnerable approach, the acoustic guitar comes in for a warm and reverberating melody on “The Man.” The guitar alone accompanies Carpenter’s vocals. The vibe captures a captivating and compelling sound. The simplicity of this track made way for more emotional resonance. On “Honey,” the guitar rolls forth with a meandering melody that slowly grows in sound. Next, some percussion comes in for a Latin-fused vibe. There was a sultry feel to this song that definitely packs in the heat factor. I also enjoyed Carpenter’s delivery here. In addition, the violin solo was very dynamic-sounding. It all came together for a radioactive sound, making it stand out as a definite highlight.
 
Off to a sauntering groove that reminded me of ’60s and ‘70s rock like Simon and Garfunkel and Bob Dylan, this song had a warm and golden flavor to it that felt very classic rock on “The Hypocrite.” This was another highlight. Carpenter’s vocals are intimate and heartfelt on “The Villain.” She sings with her heart on her sleeve, keeping listeners’ spirits warm with her on-point delivery. Another in the ballad form takes the reins on “Ships.” What sounds like a xylophone adds some unconventional instrumentation. Overlapping choral-like vocals creates layers of celestial-sounding harmonies on the start of “After The Rain.” Next, the sound clears the way for low rumbling bass. The mood then opens up for a straightforward rock sound. As Carpenter’s vocals arrive, the edgy hard rock sound becomes more electric. There was a touch of grunge and metal to this track as Carpenter goes toward heavy riffs on this hard-hitting finale. 
 
A bedroom recording mainly recorded in Carpenter’s apartment, what remains is a lo-fi-ness to the album that points to its home recording origins. While definitely lo-fi, I thought Carpenter is able to close into the intimacy of a live recording with her sound here. Though listeners who can’t wait to see Carpenter perform these songs live onstage will have to settle for now on this EP. Hearing Carpenter belt out her tunes for the first time in this album, you will feel like she is in the same room as you, performing these indie pop songs right in front of you. Fans of the singer/songwriter genres, alternative and indie rock will find Puzzle Pieces a delight. This proved to be an enjoyable listen and I look forward to seeing more music like this soon.

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