Grace Turner: Half Truths | 4ZZZ Brisbane 102.1FM

- Half Truths is the stellar debut EP by Novocastrian singer-songwriter, Grace Turner. After emerging in 2017 with her powerful single, Angry, Turner has quickly garnered a reputation as an eminently talented artist. Over the last few years, she has dripped out captivating singles which has only demonstrated that what she lacks in quantity, she more than makes up for with quality. While you get the sense Turner’s songs would stand up tall with little or no accompaniment, they are only galvanised by the presence of a tight band that creates an aesthetic similar to artists like Big Thief and Courtney Barnett. Integral to her sound is an angelic voice, one that perhaps most closely resembles Sharon Van Etten but really is unequivocally unique in its style.

Primarily backed by a standard formation of bass, drums and electric guitars, the songs are creatively and carefully presented. This is the case on opener Disdain which begins with an astute guitar riff that instantly gets you nodding along until it metamorphoses into a solo that wouldn't be out of place coming from The War on Drugs.

Released earlier as a single, Half Light is a standout track and bonafide masterpiece that incrementally builds on a monotonous guitar chord with deft drumming and lead guitar, creating a rapturous panoply. Easy I Fall begins with fuzzy guitars and prurient lyrics as Turner declares, “If you want to fuck me then just tell me that you love me”. She delivers the loaded lyrics with an anodyne expression. This dichotomy is effective and used by Turner throughout the EP. Dead or Alive is a punchy pop song with a rollicking beat and a contagious chorus. However, amid the catchy pop, there are striking lyrics like, “I’ll never be the woman that you want me to be / A sweet homemaker / A life creator,” that give it a depth, a grounding in the real world. The EP fittingly concludes with ethereal closer Forget About the World. A soft song laden with reverb, it highlights Turner’s mellifluous voice for a gentle conclusion.

Unlike albums, EPs have no room for redundant numbers and Half Truths falls to no such folly. While certain cuts standout more than others, each song is carefully crafted and an integral constituent of what is a great and (to its credit) homogenous work. As far as debuts go, they seldom show as much acumen and maturity as Half Truths. Only time will tell, but if this record is anything to go on, Turner is destined for great things.

- Jonathan Cloumassis.