Arriving in 2019,
Nina Nesbitt
's first album for
Cooking Vinyl
,
The Sun Will Come Up, the Seasons Will Change
, follows her U.K. Top 20 debut,
Peroxide
, by five years. Though
was collection of material written while she was in her teens, it already revealed a tendency toward earnest, thoughtful lyrics. The follow-up continues in kind, though it's notably (and understandably) more mature, while still navigating relationships and the quest for peace of mind. Reflecting the tone of the lyrics are wistful melodies and lusher, more atmospheric production that relies on simple beats and sustained keys instead of the mix of balladry and bouncy acoustic jangle from her debut. Here,
Nesbitt
moves between the melodic half-rap of "The Moments I'm Missing," the Latin pop-influenced "Loyal to Me," and the straightforward acoustic ballad "Last December" with a poise helped along by a light, dreamy quality that makes the album seem to float by without ever leaving the realm of radio-friendly pop. That's an accomplishment considering there were track-specific producers involved. One such song, "Is It Really Me You're Missing?," was written by
Sam Preston
, and the production team of
Rick Parkhouse
and
George Tizzard
(aka
Red Triangle
) to pitch to other singers.
Rihanna
's camp reportedly took interest in the song, but when she didn't record it,
decided to keep it for herself. A keyboard-ballad standout, it shows off
's interpretive ability, from tender, half-whispered phrases to distraught, full-voiced belting, sometimes within the same line. The album ends elegantly, with a reassuring title track that seems to promise further growth. ~ Marcy Donelson