"Sweet Talkin'," the latest from the emerging talent of Taylor Janney-Rovin, is the type of track that feels like a guilty pleasure when it's not actually guilty at all. It's a flirty, playful throwback that pools from the cream of the early-2000s pop-rock crop, while firmly rooted in contemporary indie-pop. Riding a straightforward driving three-chord rocker, "Sweet Talkin'" lives and breathes in its simplicity and reality. The catchiness of a rocky, on-again/off-again relationship that everyone knows they'd be better off done with, but are far too addicted to the sugar and the spice to cut off completely.
Rather than beautifying the story, when Taylor dips into conversational lyricism on the song, the end result is a tune whose confessional sensibility sounds like your best friend gossiping in the passenger seat. Melding the '90s R&B vibe of smooth textures, pop-rock edge guitars, and neo-soul-inspired sessions, Taylor has found a creative balance of past and present. It's dreamy and retro, with 2000s-esque beats that complement her cheeky lines, and the song becomes as infectious as it is relatable. For those raised on HAIM's brassy harmonies, Kelly Clarkson's no-nonsense pop hooks, or Kacey Musgraves's plainspoken storytelling, "Sweet Talkin'" will feel like a good fit.
It's the balance between fun and self-awareness that makes "Sweet Talkin'" shine. You can dance to it, scream-sing to it, or simply nod along knowingly with its truth. And that's the genius of Taylor Janney-Rovin's songwriting, as she has a way of making complicated emotions sound both universal and intimate. On "Sweet Talkin'," Taylor is reinterpreting the heady days of pop-rock's golden age for the modern ear, producing a song that feels both vintage and contemporary. It's the sound of choices that you'll laugh about later, encased in absolutely delectable melodies that will stick with you long.
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