Demi Marriner is a consummate storyteller. Aptly titled ‘The Things I Said’, her latest EP offers up a coherent narrative of relationship breakdown and the complex road of building oneself back up. It is an emotional journey – of anger, heartbreak, turmoil, and freedom swirling in a controlled musical storm. The emphasis on acoustic guitar, the sparsity of accompaniment, and the use of highly-expressive vocals, feed in to a story in which the protagonist has reached the point of no return. It’s time to break the cycle. And the fallout is not without its wounds.
This is encapsulated in the opening track ‘Repeat Refrain’. A bit like ‘Patterns’ by Kelsea Ballerini, it offers up a deep awareness of the need to change. Not for its own sake but because the relationship, in this instance, has become problematic. Agency is lost and self-worth questioned as “You plant me like a flower / Watch me bloom / Then show me off / making out like it was all down to you”. The lines are clear and punchy throughout, combined with moments where the drums and strings ring out, to symbolise the reaching of a limit that then plays out in ‘Need to Know’. “A powerful ultimatum”, as I described it in a previous review.
Both tracks are full of sound that demands attention. Reflective of the need for an answer in the latter’s case. The foot is down and the cards are on the table. The result is an achingly heartfelt response. ‘Stop. Pause. Rewind’ captivates in a different way. With short, sharp lyrics in an acoustic setting that renders the fallout as tragic, hurtful and damaging. “What have you done to me?” is the piercing question, that has led to “six months in therapy” and more beside. No wonder there is an urgency to ‘Sound the Alarm’, before a return to the bittersweet with ‘Some People’. The cello of Isabel Williamson lifting the sadness like a sunset beneath grey cloud.
‘Seize the Day’ has much more of a punch. It comes with a certainty that what is lost has enabled what’s been found. The electric guitar of Joe Coombs deals up confidence in a decision to leave, mirrored in the lines “you’re the earthquake to my solid ground”. It may be a small detail, but the line “words unsaid / now look where we are” highlights a nice thread which connects this EP to her debut album, ‘The Things We Didn’t Say’. With closing track ‘Forgiveness’ leaving the door ajar for further exploration. Its delicacy proffers a delightful release. Its words honest. Its heart true. This is what makes Demi Marriner such a master of her craft. And why, as we enter into 2025, she is more in demand as an artist than ever.
You can purchase ‘The Things I Said’ via Demi’s online store, along with some very artistic pieces of merch, including prints and t-shirts, here.
Featured Image (C) Demi Marriner / Miles Myerscough-Harris
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