A day before her new album was released, Alice Skye posted a tweet reading: “fun activity for today: listening to our album start to finish and questioning absolutely everything about it the day before it comes out“, quickly followed by a second tweet “I can’t explain how excited and yet deeply embarrassed I am“. In much the same way, Alice Skye exposes her anxieties and inner doubts with self-depreciating humour and tenderness on her second album I Feel Better But I Don’t Feel Good.
Weaving richly unfolding melodies and introspective lyrics into gently rocking ballads, the Wergaia & Wemba-Wemba singer-songwriter digs into intimate topics surrounding mental health – where a good day might be followed by a bad one without much discernable reason – and the flow on effect this has on one’s relationship with others and the environment around them.
Produced alongside Jen Cloher and Alice’s childhood friends and close bandmates, Sam and Kane King, the album delivers a richer sound to match Skye’s musical development, building upon her intimate piano led first album. Despite the heavier themes, Alice Skye’s songwriting exhibits a lightness of touch, her soothingly emotional voice softening the message, and offering a hopeful acknowledgement and recognition of those living daily with anxiety.