by meghan brianna
Unknowingly beginning the creation of a new EP in November of 2019, Christian Leave has graced the world with yet another pristine compilation of art. According to his Instagram bio, he “hit [his] head on the fridge and received encouragement” for his new EP, Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head.
Having been a fan of Christian Leave since the release of his EP Hope, seeing announcements for new music is always exciting. Featuring two previously released singles, “Bedache” and “Your Life Your Time,” the EP features five songs in total. Originally starting with covers, then writing and producing his work, Christian has moved through the genres. From soft guitar melodies, Christian moved through bedroom pop and has now found a home within alternative rock.
Listening through the EP, I can hear notes of 90’s alternative rock sprinkled throughout each song. “Bedache” seems reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins with the prominent guitar riffs and use of percussion. With lyrics like, “All this thinking makes me want to drop dead,” and “I am so afraid of getting older,” I think that many can find solace within this song.
Each song fits so perfectly in today’s time, but it also feels as if Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head could have been pulled from the ’90s. “Hearts Melt,” started by Christian nearly two years ago, seems like it could have come from one of The Cure’s many albums. Bridging the gap between two decades, Christian Leave does a phenomenal job of blending genres and time periods.
This is yet another EP from Christian Leave that I will have on repeat until the end of time. “Bedache” has come on multiple times and not once have I felt the need to skip, if anything, I want the song to continuously play on a loop. When listening to Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head, I have to remind myself that this is an EP that was just recently released in 2021, not sometime in the ‘90s. Christian Leave is an exceptional artist that continues to release beautiful, well-developed music.