E^ST - Life Ain't Always Roses (2018)

Sometimes you don’t fit in and that’s OK; E^ST has got your back. Life Ain’t Always Roses will feel familiar to anyone who’s felt out of place or out of step. “Is anyone from my planet?” the Aussie singer-songwriter plaintively asks on “Alien.” She follows Lorde’s lead in turning disillusionment into insightful road maps to self-discovery. “Heaven In My Mind” and “Pure” set big-city blues loose over silky beats. She pulls listeners close for an understanding group hug on “Friends.” Her ability to communicate provocative thoughts and catchy melodies more than justifies the Fueled By Ramen cosign. “I Don’t Lack Imagination” has the great line “You should’ve stayed a fantasy,” while the loneliness and disconnect she reveals on “Blowjob” is candid and, sadly, unsurprising in the #MeToo era.