by Jare C (@jareccurtis)
Since 2007, Brooklyn-based Gabby Smith aka Gabby’s World has been releasing a wide variety of tunes. The project started out somewhere between an experimental electronic outlet and an ambient project, and since has blossomed and grown into a wide variety of genres, most recently landing as a four-piece indie band. On this latest record, GABBY SWORD, Smith and friends explore her somewhat recent realization of her queer identity, going through life changes and transitions, and the intimate details and raw moments that come from those experiences.
Sonically, the album lies somewhere between a poppier Weyes Blood or Mitski album, and a heavier and more experimental Maggie Rogers or Caroline Polachek project, sounding a lot like a more personal and individualized version of TOPS or Cherry Glazerr. The opening track, “Sank,” draws the listener in with moody synths and thundering bass drums, with Gabby’s vocals sweetening throughout the track as it progresses. This trend continues throughout the album, such as the sun-shiny, bubblegum poppy “Closing Door,” a song that feels a lot like a deeper Colbie Calliet track from 2008. Other songs, like the up-tempo and buzzy electronic “Fabby” (a song about her love for her partner where you can feel Gabby smiling while she sings it), the shifting and shining “Just for You to Hear,” or the twinkly “Corrina,” borrow elements from the poppier offerings of country, electronic, and radio pop, all while holding strong with catchy hooks and poetic and personal lyrics.
Elsewhere, the meandering “33,” the slow building and melodic “Mussel,” and the concentrated and focused “Powerful” build somber and intentional instrumental backdrops that give away to strong emotions; breakthroughs with Gabby’s incredibly strong and poignant vocal delivery. Across each track, Smith and company produce a collection of songs that clearly center around a central idea, experience, or emotion from Smith’s life, and, through the larger band, grow into a collaborative, multifaceted song that contributes beautifully to the overall scope and sound of the record.
In 2021, Smith married songwriter and producer Barrie Lindsay after meeting on a shared bill a few years before. This relationship, evidently, was Smith’s first queer relationship, and many of the songs on this record feel reminiscent of it. Smith and Lindsay ended up producing and creating this record together, and that partnership, love, and appreciation really resonates through each song on an album that very much feels like a joint effort of journaled storytelling. Each of these songs was released over the course of 2023, month by month, and the context of all of that - the stories behind the songs, the individual album artwork for each song, the truly collaborative nature of bringing such personal and raw stories together - make this album feel very unique and special. If you’re looking for a deeply personal and versatile sapphic indie rock record to sink your teeth and your heart into, look no further than GABBY SWORD.