Annabel Allum ‘RASCAL’

Disarming and playfully crass, Guildford-based artist Annabel Allum croons into our hearts and minds with her second track of 2018, “RASCAL“, via Killing Moon Records. Produced by Adrian Hall (Goldfrapp, Du Blonde, Anna Calvi), the track’s structure takes notes from post-progressive rock and the relentless attitude of the grunge era.

Allum’s vocals are thick with emotions and indecisiveness of self-infliction that blissfully wrap with somber guitar chords most felt within the lines, “I’m just a rascal of a woman / that seems to play with people’s hearts.” Building towards a grander scheme of sounds within the chorus and break, “RASCAL” weeps into an arena fashioned punch. There isn’t a muted moment throughout the track’s existence and falls into a heavy skin of rock and gritty, melancholy.

“‘RASCAL’ pinpoints a phase in time when it felt like no matter what I was doing, it wouldn’t be right”. Allum says, “Trying to look after myself, the people close to me, the people around me, and never finding a balance in any of it. I would either give too much or nothing at all. I still do that. It’s quite a sad song. Self-scrutiny, really. I guess I’m just still learning that it’s okay to not be able to please everything all the time”.

Leaving with a residue of longing vocals, “RASCAL” becomes the grey area of an individual most will paint over. Allum pairs these ideals with the culture of gritty rock and marries relief under 4-minutes.

Liam Corneloues on bass and Emma Hiley on drums will join Allum live through the UK and Europe this summer.