On Friday, emerging singer-songwriter Katie Pruitt released a new single entitled “Expectations” as well as a corresponding music video. The single is the first off of Pruitt’s debut album coming from Rounder Records. While the details of the album haven’t been released, Pruitt has garnered enough buzz and excitement from her live shows and 2018’s OurVinyl Live EP that this name-yet-to-be-revealed record could be an electrifying debut.
The single demonstrates what Pruitt does best: blend indie rock, Americana and solid songwriting. With a sound that can almost be compared to Pinegrove meets Lori McKenna, “Expectations” is a feel good song that fits right into Pruitt’s canon of addressing human topics such as religion, mental health, and love. It’s hard not to feel a sense of relief when you hear Pruitt’s smooth voice exclaim:
“Some days I don’t know who to trust / In the rain my spirit starts to rust / she said ‘you’re being way too generous / with all the fucks you’re giving.’”
Katie Pruitt is the newest star of modern Americana. She grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta with a conservative family, attending Catholic school. “Expectations” carries us through her self-discovery away from home, as she comes to terms with her sexuality and navigates the transition to adulthood. “I wanted to be honest / I wanted to be brave,” she sings on the track, “Georgia,” “But if my grandmother knew / She would roll in her grave / And my father would scream / He’d scream out in rage / He did not want a daughter whose soul wasn’t saved.” The tension that defined her coming-of-age is translated perfectly into music; her voice glides with ease the tone of a lullaby to that of a rock song, while the band seems to hang on each word. It’s not often that you see a debut record that introduces an artist so perfectly both musically and personally; each song is purposeful and necessary to tell Pruitt’s story.
Katie Pruitt – Expectations from the forthcoming album “Expectations”, out 2/21/20 on Rounder Records
The Fat Angel Sings 