Review Summary: It hurts to say how sweet it is.
The Sweet Hurt consists of folk pop singer Wendy Wang, a young talent to hit the streets of a vast Los Angeles clouded in musical genius. Wendy’s self-titled debut album, however, is a sure shot that she is clearly a standout from the crowd. Her delivery style can best be described as light-hearted, although her soothing voice can occasionally border on haunting but in the best possible way. The mostly acoustic instrumentation is kept to a minimum, emphasizing Wendy’s vocal abilities as much as possible. The blend is a well-mixed one, and the album is indeed a nice warm collection of eleven songs chalked full of enough beautiful harmonies and infectious melodies to leave listeners wondering why she isn’t more famous.
Although the musical style that
The Sweet Hurt LP portrays is destined to put a person to sleep, there is still plenty of diversity to the songs and their arrangements to keep the album interesting. “Always Knew” is one of the simpler numbers, though it does set a fresh whimsical tone consisting of sparkly guitar licks and soft drumming during the chorus lines. The rest of the album does its best to keep up with this clam, charming vibe but is also pretty coherent with its tempo changes and more detailed musical accompaniments. The second contender, “Part Of Me,” is a primary example of what this album has to offer and really is an incredible piece of work. Smooth bass lines, gentle piano and swaying synth sounds assist in creating one of the more memorable songs on the album. Background vocalist Priscilla Ahn’s angelic voice gives the song an out-of-head feel, contrasting well with Wendy’s lower pitched but nevertheless wonderful singing. Ahn plays a large roll throughout the album singing as Wendy’s harmonious counterpart on a number of songs. Jake Blanton, another maestro in the harmony department, is just as capable and adds balance to the mix as well. On “Take This Away,” his vocals are as strong as Wendy’s and there is no mistaking his presence. Immediately after, “Hugs” takes things off in a more poppy direction being the album’s bounciest and possibly most catchy song. Similar to the transition from the slower “Take This Away” to the more upbeat “Hugs,”
The Sweet Hurt LP consistently keeps the listener’s attention. “I Can’t Help You” tones things down a little with its dark piano and sad violin, giving way to Wendy’s voice as it shines through the darkness.
As a whole, the album does quite well. The songs featured could not have been placed in a better order and the amount of uncompromising elements make for a great listen by the fireplace. Wendy Wang has truly accomplished something great with her debut, though there is still room for improvement. Many of the songs sound pretty simple, as do the lyrics, which seamlessly dance around the meaning of love. That's not to say that the album isn’t a worthy competitor. It is still a fine gem, if not a diamond, in the rough.
