by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Show Me How You Disappear is the third full length release from Jilian Medford’s moniker IAN SWEET and the second working while working alone. SWEET’s earlier recordings had a full soundscape that bounced all over the place. On this record Medford exhibits more inspiration from R&B and modern pop through a skewed vision to brighten her tales of everyday questioning and working through moments of weakness in search of personal growth. The freedom to move in whatever direction SWEET desires has opened up so much ground to explore and has allowed Medford’s songwriting to mature and reach new heights.
“Sword” is one of the more off-kilter tunes on the record as Medford’s guitar alternates waves of chords with sliding riffs and a groove that does not relent despite the shifts happening all around it. Her weaving and dipping bass drives everything forward in impressive fashion as the lyrics tell a tale of how to demonstrate a more assertive self and meeting one’s own needs over an endless melody. “Sing Till I Cry” billows forth with spiky guitar fills as Medford quietly intones over a Chvrches meets Future Islands clamor. Her lyrics paint a poignant and searching picture that has no resolution in sight, yet there is an undercurrent of hopefulness and acceptance through it all.
“Drink the Lake” drifts in with programmed drums and droplet sounding keys before Medford’s chirping vocals make their significant presence known on this slow burning reminiscence of cherishing those around you and mortality. Her vocals swoop around the melody in a very enchanting manner and all the crescendos and lulls are timed perfectly to enchant the audience. “Get Better” is an intriguing tune that details a desire for personal development despite roadblocks in your mind or getting bogged down in past moments of pain. Medford’s voice wavers tenderly with a bit of insecurity before the repeated mantra of “I want to get better/better/better’ explodes encircled by keyboard swells.
Show Me How You Disappear is a record that grows and shows something different with every listen and the songwriting evokes heavy emotions and an aura that is hard to describe. There are moments of pure transcendent beauty as well as a heaviness that is inescapable yet never overbearing. These songs breath so freely and the strength that exudes from them deserves every bit of careful attention and appreciation as they unravel in front of you. Medford lays bare a lot of expressive desires and unearths deep feelings in this record that handles raw emotion and relatable struggles with an attitude that exudes hope, strength and changes for the positive. This record might take you on a rollercoaster of feelings and sonics, but its an exhilarating and frankly irresistible ride that you’ll want to relive over and over again.