Joe P is back with his latest glimpse of his highly anticipated debut album, Garden State Vampire, with the soul-stirring single "Birthday Baby (The Girl with No Smile)." Now, the promised sonic journey is finally here, one that feels both expansive and intimate.
"Birthday Baby (The Girl with No Smile)" brings listeners into Joe P's universe, an enchanted landscape where nostalgia, cooing harmonies, and modern alt-rock storytelling collide. "Birthday Baby (The Girl with No Smile)" begins in its more primitive form, with just raw acoustic guitar and vocals, which are so fragile they seem like a secret exchanged quietly in his basement studio. But it's only the beginning. Swirling synths, distant but propulsive drums, and subtle industrial textures seep in as it progresses, drawing a dreamlike tension that vacillates between ugliness and beauty.
Joe P's gift for building a soundscape is evident here. Every sonic choice feels intentional, never heavy, and always elevates the feeling in it. The result? It is a timeless yet painfully present song, both a signal of Joe's blossoming ambassadorship to come in the wake of his debut Garden State Vampire.
Instead, Joe P doesn't drop a song on us with "Birthday Baby (The Girl with No Smile). " He announces an album that sounds both big and intimate in the way it invites us into his head. This is Joe P at his most polished, and something tells me, if it is any indication, Garden State Vampire is going to be a hallmark in his evolution as an artist.