I have to admit, when I first heard the morose intro of ‘I Hate The Way’ I thought I’d have to endure a downbeat dirge of a track. Thankfully things get more melodic as the guitars and drums kick in. There’s also a bit of mad electronic noodling and some accordion thrown in for good measure as the song reaches a crescendo. The lyrics indicate Scattergood is desperately trying to cultivate an edgy, mentally-fragile image. “Pass me some pills and I’ll go to bed” she moans, before lamenting “I hate the way I tremble when you touch me/you’re like a needle piercing my skin.”
The b-side ‘Poem Song’ is actually the better track, with Scattergood’s vocals taking on a Bjork-like quality over a beautiful piano accompaniment. A lot more delicate and subtle than ‘I Hate The Way’, it also boasts a peach of a chorus.
At only 21, Scattergood sounds a bit world-weary for her age. However, while the damaged, slightly unhinged persona she portrays in her songs will be familiar to fans of PJ Harvey, she does have her own individual style. At times her over-emoting vocals grate a bit but overall she’s clearly talented.