Simeon Hammond Dallas has been busy working on her new collection of songs. Inspiration for this has come from her “overactive mind and a desire to live a life like a travel montage from a rom-com”. It has been used to develop a writing style that has a raw honesty. A talent that audiences have adored during her live shows. To accompany her words, she has created a soundtrack that is a cocktail of country, soul, blues and a little bit more. Say hello to her new EP, Manic Pixie Dreams.
As soon as “Out to You” begins, Dallas grabs the listeners attention with her guitar skills. Her delicate fingerpicking on her guitar creates a tender mood. It is not long before the story begins with “I don’t wanna beg you baby, I just wanna say that I tried / And I am tiptoeing the line”. Her storytelling qualities shine throughout this song. She has a gift in the way she can paint a picture with her lyrics. The perfect example of this is the lines “There’s a shelf that’s in my room full of things I never use / Full of things that I was sent by lovers old / I’m just an old romantic soul, and they leave stories to be told / Most left unwritten like the one of me and you”.
It’s hard to resist the music by Simeon Hammond Dallas with songwriting so honest
The tempo moves up a few notches with the arrival of the sassy little number “Wild Woman”. There is a fire burning within this track. It is clear from the opening lines “I wanna live like the wild women / Wanna live a life that’s really worth something / See I’m not the kinda girl you can domesticate / Is it difficult to swallow when you hold my name in your mouth? / Do I make you wanna spit it out?”. These lyrics show that Dallas is not pulling any punches.
The intro for “Attention” pulls in the listener with the compelling use of the keys. The atmosphere it creates oozes emotion that is reflected by the vocals when they arrive. The verses flow with a toe-tapping tempo, but it is the songs hook that stands out the most. It has a slight pop feel with lines that will get stuck in your head. It won’t take long before you are singing along with “I think I’m figuring out how much I love being loud / I’m no stranger to attention and I wanna have it now”.
“Manic Pixie Dream Girl” sees Dallas strip back her sound. The spotlight shines on her vocals and her acoustic guitar. Both project a delicate and emotive mood that is beautiful to hear. They are used to add so much to her words. A great example of this is during the lines “You like me better from afar / You don’t know how to love a burning fire”.
Simeon Hammond Dallas should be proud with what she has created with Manic Pixie Dreams. It showcases a passion and honesty within her songwriting and storytelling. This release deserves the praise she will receive.
