
Geowulf has released not only their 3rd album, but their first ever solo album project, titled "The Child", surrounding sole member Star Kendrick and her very personal journey of becoming a mother.
TRACKLIST
Dreaming
Memory Serves Like Lightning
Can't Read Your Mind
Stay Baby
Dolly
Angry
Beer to Bed (Time to Kill)
Unsay It All
Something Good
Nightmare
Hungry For My Heart
The Child
Geowulf was previously a dream-pop duo by singer/songwriter and musician Star Kendrick with collaborator Toma Banjanin. Both from Queensland, Australia and eventually becoming based in London, England, the pair had known each other since they were teenagers, and even became sibling in-laws. They debuted in 2016 with their single "Salt Water" which currently has over 55 million streams on Spotify alone. After the release of their second album, "My Resignation" in 2019, they amicably decided it was time for Banjanin to split from the project due to time constraints. Don't worry though, they're still besties! No drama here. Although of course Star misses having Banjanin around, this was also freeing for her in her artistic journey, as she felt she could write music that was just for her and not for the both of them. Not only did the sound of Geowulf begin to change, but so did the life of Star, as in 2023 she found herself becoming a mother and a certified social worker. This was also the time she began writing what would become Geowulf's 3rd album, "The Child". This album explores themes of having to make big changes, pondering the future, romance challenges, following your dreams, motherhood, and processing your past.
Dreaming
We kick off the album with the single "Dreaming", accompanied with a music video. "Dreaming" is about the toxic patriarchy we still live in today, where women are made to feel like we have to choose between having a successful career or having a family life. Star Kendrick wrote this song before she had her baby, when she didn't know if having a child would be compatible with her music career. Geowulf sings, "If I could let myself dream, would anybody stop me?". The moral of the story is here, if you want something bad enough, you will make it happen, regardless of what society tries to tell you. "Dreaming" has a beautiful, classic, dare I say, dreamy, soundscape. It has essences of power pop, with a vinyl record quality. Geowulf sing's as if she's a 1950's pop star, with gentle harmonies to back her up.
Memory Serves Like Lightning
Next we have "Memory Serves Like Lightning", a title that really just captures you attention and sticks with you. When I saw this title, I kept saying it over and over again in my head; wow what an incredible title. It makes even more sense when you come to find that the song is about PTSD and trauma. The hook literally goes, "Memory serves like lightning when you come back to haunt me". This song is very relatable for many, but yet it doesn't feel like a sad song. In fact, it's more cathartic than anything. The style feels nostalgic, and leans heaviest towards indie rock with a 60's type of groove, heavy emphasis on percussion, guitar and lots of reverb. Geowulf sings with a raw, conversational tone to make the song feel even more intimate.
Can't Read Your Mind
"Can't Read Your Mind" is the most recent single off the album, and it's a whole vibe. This song is about when you have a partner who has trouble expressing their feelings, and it's not because of a lack of effort on your part. Communication is key when making a relationship work, so if they're going to hold everything inside and not tell you how to make things better when your relationship is going down hill, then you're just going to have to let them go; hey, you're not a mind reader. "Can't Read Your Mind" has a super catchy pop/rock groove, featuring a sparkling synth riff and slide guitar.
Stay Baby
"Stay Baby" is a deeply personal song where Star writes about what she imagined it was like for her own mother to be pregnant with her. The verses tell a detailed story, while the chorus switches into this new perspective, as if it's being sung by Star's mother herself, begging the man she loves to stay while she is carrying his child. "Stay Baby" is accompanied by a music video, that I highly recommend watching while you listen. It seems Star finds herself looking back on her mothers story, and is relating and empathizing with her mother now that she is becoming a mother herself.
Dolly
"Dolly" is about that moment when you finally are meeting up with the person you fell in love with again, after they fell off the face of the Earth for a good while. Of course there's going to be some sort of hope that things can still work out, but most likely they're still not going to reciprocate those feelings. If you're wondering about the title of this song, it's because of these lyrics right here - "I drank all your gin when I saw you again, but I keep my eyes open / and we sang our heart's out to Dolly Parton, and my body kept on saying 'you're so complicated'". This song has a stunning, folk rock soundscape that was giving me young Stevie Nicks vibes, mixed with just a little country twang in the instrumentals to nod at Dolly Parton.
Angry
"Angry" is about when someone you loved took everything from you, and never gave anything back; emotionally and physically. This is your validation song that it is okay to feel angry when someone screws you over. Geowulf sings, "'Cause love shouldn't feel like this; I know it shouldn't feel like this". When you think of the word "Angry", you probably think of a fast-paced, heavy, loud rock song - but that's not what this song is. It's slower, somber, haunting and chilling to the bone. It's acoustic guitar driven, with a dissonant piano riff that I absolutely adore. As the song goes on, it does build dynamically, adding in a gentle lead electric guitar.
Beer to Bed (Time to Kill)
They always say you find love when you least expect it, right? "Beer to Bed (Time to Kill)" tells the tale of two people who hook up when they need a distraction from their lives; Little did they know, they were just two lonely people who needed someone to understand them, and by the end of the song they end up falling in love. "Beer to Bed (Time to Kill)" has a nostalgic soft rock soundscape, with one of the catchiest basslines you'll ever hear. The hook melody is also an ear-worm, sang so powerfully and full of emotion that it'll definitely get stuck in your head even after just one listen.
Unsay It All
"Unsay It All" is about the desperation of wanting the person you love to say the things you want to hear for once instead of breaking your heart; things like "I will change" and "I will listen". You're tired of always being the one to pick up their mood, and not receiving the same love and effort back. What about your feelings? "Unsay It All" is filled with synths and nostalgic 80's vibes. It has a slide lead guitar, with heavy reverb on everything to give a dreaminess to the somber atmosphere. Geowulf sings with a soft, whispery tone, almost as if she's running out of energy or giving up on this person.
Something Good
"Something Good" is about how Star hasn't necessarily has the most mundane life story. Things that others have that are considered normal, are necessities that Star wishes she could have, and shouldn't be taken for granted. For her, a "normal" life is something she craves sometimes. "Something Good" is a beautiful piano ballad, that builds into this heavenly, cathartic and emotional atmosphere that really pulls at your heart strings. It's like a religious experience as the energy runs higher and higher; layers of vocals fall on top of each other, creating this chant-like moment, a plead for "Something Good". It's a perfect chance to sing along, as it's a relatable song for many, as we've all wanted an opportunity to have something better for ourselves.
Nightmare
"Nightmare" is a tribute song to former Geowulf partner and Star's best friend, Toma Banjanin. Although Star expressed she was able to have more creative freedom with the project with Toma leaving, it was also really emotional and hard on her to see him go. After all, they'd been close for a very long time, and collaborative partners for almost a decade. Their creative chemistry was undeniable, and seeing Toma having to let go of that side of him due to time constraints was really hard for Star. It was also hard to get used to doing things on her own. Yes, it was freeing, but she would also miss having him around. Star sings, "Give me all your dreams, I’ve been holding back on you". She sings with such strength and heavy emotion on this track, with an incredibly catchy indie pop instrumentation to back her up.
Hungry For My Heart
"Hungry For My Heart" is about someone who romances you with harmful intentions. This song is so different from the others on this album, but in the best way. It features a marching snare drum beat, with poetic lyricism and a very cinematic soundscape. The words are so intellectual, but you can still understand. It emotionally impacts so intensely, it feels like a knife straight to the heart - especially if you've ever been manipulated and heartbroken like this before. The soaring and twinkling instrumentation pairs beautifully with the vocal harmony arrangement, giving this song an almost medieval war vibe.
The Child
Lastly, we have the title track, "The Child", which is deeply personal song that dives into the unresolved feelings of Star's own childhood and upbringing. Raised by her grandmother, Star uses these memories to help guide her with what kind of mother, or perhaps also what not kind of mother she wants to be. "The Child" is a slow-tempo, indie pop-rock song, with a dreamy, heavy reverbed soundscape. You feel like you're floating on a cloud while you're listening to this. It melancholic, almost bittersweet. It sums up why Star wrote this album in the first place, and leaves us with a great sense of closure.
Geowulf's first solo project proves that Star Kendrick, is in fact, a star of her own. "The Child" takes a whole new approach not only in sound and style, but in emotional depth as well, creating this new chance for audiences to connect with Geowulf on a level like never before. I hope that this album gives Star the confidence she needed to know that not only does she have the ability to make impactful music as a solo artist, but that she can still follow her dreams and be a wonderful mother at the same time. This album and Star's story is so incredibly inspiring, especially for women in the industry, and I can't wait to see what she does next. Keep up with Geowulf by follow the project's social pages below!
Written By Kaitlyn Nicole
FOLLOW GEOWULF:
*Sponsored Post - Discovered on SubmitHub. A contribution was made to help create this article as part of a promotional campaign.