Whether it’s my favorite ice tea or a sweaty gym rat whose wife beater rides up from his glute grabbing shorts so his belly button winks at me, I’m a sucker for a six pack. That rule also applies to Lenka’s new EP, Discover, with its six pack of abs-solutely fabulous songs. Discover is the partner of original songs to Lenka’s recent covers EP, Recover. Discover is much more subdued and darker than Lenka’s previous perky and uplifting albums…although “Little Love” could be sung by a fun-loving Rastafarian Smurfette.
The remaining five songs have their own unique sound with a common theme of rejuvenation. “On My Side” is an ukulele torch song about loving someone so much that nothing else matters as the world crashes down. No matter how many do-ta-do’s and whistling that’s on “What Goes Up” it’s still about hard times and trying to bounce back. The upbeat hand claps on “Sweet Time” eases us into some slow healing after a trauma. “Back On Track” is my favorite track with it’s creepy, thumping beat and need to “improve” to stay in a toxic relationship. The EP ends with “Goodbye Beautiful Day” that sound like a lullaby sung by a heavily medicated kindergarten teacher.
In my gay opinion, this is a more serious direction for Lenka. Discover has a self-help vibe with a taste of cruel reality. Sometimes rainbows are covered in crap and unicorns get hunted for their horns but you have to continue on and strive for the best.
