Rowan Murphy manages to tamp down the static with an authentic connection. Her latest single, "Fault on the Line," is an achingly vulnerable examination of co-dependency, misplaced expectations, and emotional self-reckoning, delivered with lyrical depth.
The title track, which heralds her forthcoming EP due in July through Nettwerk, is a strong debut and a gentler thunderclap. A shimmering, glitchy moment in a glitchy film that Rowan tries to explain thusly. The phrase is meant to have first been uttered in a seemingly banal/prosaic sense by her father, who would remark, "There's a fault on the line" when the telly used to crash in on itself on Christmas Eve, then seep into Rowan's connotations of the road-like line of communication and how her heart could shut off. The poetic observation supports great songwriting, and Rowan wears it like a second skin.
Stirring with a country-tinged indie folk underlay, the song is tastefully spare in its production of delicate strums and warm textures that leave room for Rowan's whining voice. Her voice, raw and clear with a touch of aching wisdom, is a perfect match for lyrics that sink deep into emotional dependence and the desire to be seen by people who, in truth, can't really see you.
"Fault on the Line" is distinguished in how it holds its emotional content without descending into melodrama. Rowan dispenses lessons in self-awareness. Here, it's the global understanding that no one is responsible for our happiness but us. It's a feeling that anyone would relate to, but that such things are said by such a young person adds another layer of poignancy.
The comparisons to artists such as Lizzy McAlpine are inevitable, but Rowan Murphy's musically and lyrically voice is her own. "Fault on the Line" is a statement. And if this is what we can expect to hear in the future, it sounds like Rowan's forthcoming EP is being crafted to be one of indie folk's most emotionally stirring releases of the year. Rowan Murphy might just be back at the start of that course, but with songs like this, she's already wandering a road set out with intent.