CD Review: Alice Skye – I Feel Better But I Don’t Feel Good

Artist: Alice Skye
Album: I Feel Better But I Don’t Feel Good
Label: Bad Apples / Universal
Release: July 23rd, 2021

Rating: 8/10

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Equally pensive and punchy, Alice Skye’s second LP is nothing short of breathtaking. Ebbing and flowing between deep, simmering melancholy and bright, captivating dreaminess, the Wergaia stalwart simply refuses to hold back; she’s crafted a record perfect for those long, introspective late-night road trips. 

Guitars on the record are subtle and understated, but strikingly impactful when they do lead the fray – take for example the gravelly, distorted leads on “Everything Is Great” or the shimmery, ‘70s-channeling strums on “Grand Ideas”. Less really is more throughout; the bold, attention‑grabbing solo on “Browser History” feels so because it’s underscored by a simple, cantering beat, Skye’s warm, honeyed ruminations so easy to melt into on either side of it.

Please note: this review is also printed in #144 of Australian Guitar Magazine, syndicated here because AG’s album reviews are no longer published online.

I Feel Better But I Don’t Feel Good is out now via Bad Apples / Universal. Click here to buy or stream.