There is a phrase circulating and growing in normalcy, to “live your truth.” Few are doing it more so than Elizabeth Moen.
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Her new EP approaches mental health with a balance of accessible candor and existential profundity. The living her truth moment: Moen recently moved in with her aunt, who is a therapist. In her presence, she says she that has become increasingly intrigued by her own inner workings and more adept at dealing with them.
Moen has had plenty of success, headlining Lincoln Hall in Chicago and directly supported stars including Lake Street Dive, Margaret Glaspy, Buck Meek, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, and Houndmouth. She had more than earned a reputation for massive, emotive vocals. The impressive growth is now shown in the tunes as well as the ins and out of the lyricism.
EP- I was stuck in one place for the first time in years due to quarantine. I was afraid it would give me writer’s block, because I usually write on the road. It did the opposite; having some alone, quiet time really charged these songs. I never had time to sit with myself and acknowledge my bad habits, good habits, what I really want in life. This EP is trying to find a balance of laughing it off and taking it seriously while I try to embrace whatever the hell is happening right now.
This EP has a lot of different styles, genres, vibes, whatever. I enjoy listening and making all kinds of music. Not every song will be everyone’s cup of tea but that’s what I love about music. It’s subjective. That all being said, I hope you like all of them.
Creature of Habit- I was FaceTiming a friend in April and they jokingly said they were a creature of habit. That phrase struck me and I went from there. I borrowed a synth for the first time and that inspired a new jolt of creativity as well for this song. My grandpa has always said that learning new things as we get older is really good for the brain and he was totally right. I swear the synth flipped a switch in my brain that had been turned off since college.
Creature of Habit guitar version- Synths are great but guitar is my forever friend. I love when artists share two versions of a song. By sharing one version with lots of production and one very stripped down, I hope the song itself can show its meaning.
Eating Chips- This song is me completely letting go of trying to be what I think is the most “impressive” version of my music. I’m not trying to impress anyone with singing, the lyrics were almost thrown away, and the production is nonsensical at times. My friend Avery made a synth patch that emulated a theremin. The person I was a year ago would never have put that on a song. And then I took a step back and was like, wait, this song is my favorite and shows more of my personality than any other song. I’m a silly person off-stage and this song and the merch for it (Eating Chips chip bag clips) are too.
It’ll Get Tired Too- Most of quarantine I stayed with my aunt who’s a therapist. She and my uncle are really kind and let me stay while I got back on my feet and gave me space to feel my feels some days. I tried to recreate that safe space in this song. I don’t think we need to push away our bad feelings. We gotta let them pass and then keep moving, dancing, living. Plus singing with Penny Peach is always fun. She’s one of the most loving people I know and I swear that shows in her voice. <3
Who Wants Takeout?– This song is me making a song that sounds more like what I listen to. I love drony, slow-pulsing songs that you can just lay around to. I wrote the line “how do you sit so calm so still? Knowing time is bound to kill you, me, and the sun someday” and went from there. I’m a chatty person and I have a respect for people who are comfortable in silence.
Studio Apartment– You know what I love? Cheesy country ballads. I love the storytelling aspect of country way back when. So I said f**k it and wrote a ballad about someone moving to a city to “make it” and falling into old dating patterns to avoid being alone. First time writing a song with key change and this song is the only one on the record where I just belt it at the end.
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