Musician and former Charleston resident Sarah Summer released her album of demos titled, Heart-Shaped Bullshit, earlier this month. “The title track on my new collection of demos is the most literal thing I’ve ever written,” Summer told the City Paper. Summer’s lyrics call attention to what she refers to as the “mass production” of Valentine’s Day to tell listeners love is more than a store-bought teddy bear. Her songs showcase her sweet voice and heartfelt sound, but the lyrics present deeper meaning.
The opening track, “Wrap Your Head Around Me,” may be short, but shows how Summer can turn the world around her into an instrument. “The sound was attained by tapping a blue Bic pen on the center console of my forest green Subaru in alternation with the thud of my left palm. I was sitting at a stoplight,” Summer recalled. It may be one of the shorter songs of the collection, but it does not fail to bring that heart-warming, southern charm Summer is known for.
The last song is a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Night Life.” Summer takes this bluesy country song and transforms the classic into a refreshing, acoustic tune that soothes the soul. However, she does not deny facing some difficulty in singing the song. “He is hard to sing,” Summer mentioned. “That man has a style and tone all his own. None can compare. But that doesn’t stop me.”
Heart-Shaped Bullshit can be found on bandcamp.com.
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