Guest review by Captain’s Bar events manager, Say Something Music label owner and promoter Scott Evans
I have been a keen follower of Olivia Miceli since last year’s wonderful Nostalgic Heartbreak album and its companion EP Times That Were Never Ours. She is one of those artists that I like to share with anyone who will listen because it really is worth the effort to delve into Olivia Miceli’s world.
No-one in Stoke-on-Trent really has the sound or songwriting style that she puts out, which makes Olivia a very different proposition. I love an artist that you really struggle to make a comparison with, it’s almost as if she lives in a bubble not listening to any other music, but equally it’s instantly catchy and resonates deeply.
So, with that all said, any new material is always going to be held up to previous releases. Has she surpassed, matched or failed to reach the dizzy heights of previous output? I’m happy to say that The Chaos Of Growing Up is another beautiful record, displaying yet again the songwriting prowess of Olivia Miceli. The song follows a similar pattern to Nostalgic Heartbreak, taking a look at her place in this world, offering a melancholy view at growing up. She asks simple questions about the world, like, why do people hate the rain when you can’t have the beauty of the earth without it? Or perhaps more sarcastically, why have justice when you can start a war instead? All of this is delivered with Olivia’s gentle and warming voice.
Musically it’s a piano led song, starting with the crackle of old vinyl nodding again at a simpler time. When the heavy drums kick in the piano chimes out a refrain that doesn’t give up. The vocals are layered making it sound as if she is accompanied by a full choir, and interspersed throughout all this there are subtle strings and flutes. All this shows Olivia’s incredible songwriting talent and artistic vision.
It really is worth pointing out that production wise the song is a big step forward from previous releases. As well as writing and performing all music Olivia also does all her own production, and it’s great to hear the progression that’s been made.
So yet again Olivia Miceli shows that she is one of Stoke’s best kept secrets who really shouldn’t be secret at all! The Chaos Of Growing Up is a fantastic start to her 2024 output which I hope will also include her venturing into the live circuit.
Bethan Shufflebotham, founder of The Leopheard, added: “Fans of Olivia Rodrigo will find much to appreciate in Olivia Miceli’s latest release, The Chaos of Growing Up. Lines like “no-one said my twenties would be harder than my teens” cut deep and the arrangement is absolutely gorgeous. Echoing what Scott said, I’m very much looking forward to seeing Liv hit the stage soon.”
