Pisgah, the project of Brittney Jenkins, delivers a gripping rock meditation on personal freedom with her new single, “Bend to Break.” Recorded in her home studio and shaped alongside Austin producer Dan Duszynski, the track unfolds with steady, atmospheric guitar layers that gradually weave into haunting backing vocals, carrying a sense of restrained intensity within shades of Americana, folk, and rock. Jenkins’ introspective lyrics and subtle vocal escalation convey the tension of leaving behind what no longer serves, moving from contemplative reflection to a quietly resolute declaration to walk “out the door” and reclaim one’s own story.
Forlorn, atmospheric guitar twangs build with dreamy intrigue as the track initially unfolds. A stirring vocal presence ensues, referencing nature — from “hills” to “mountain peaks” — in the context of personal strife. “You’re driving east again, my eyes are glued to the horizon,” Jenkins’ riveting vocals continue, complemented thereafter by a cohesive rhythmic addition. The ghostly vocals expand further in the “can’t quiet the sound” admission, layered with soaring enthrallment there as jangling guitars continue amidst the steady percussion.
An especially impactful sequence takes hold just prior to the mid-point, driving to the three-minute turn with a mixture of harmonious vocal backings and fierce lead’s determination to break free. “Took the skin off of your bones,” the vocals let out, barred with vulnerability following powerful sentiments of breaking away from tumult and those with self-first tendencies. The “stop trying” sentiments thereafter are similarly affecting, playing like a defiant response to those who seek to inject control and oppression within relationships. “Bend to Break” is an impactful standout from Pisgah.
“‘Bend to Break’ is one of my favorite songs I’ve written so far,” Jenkins says. “I didn’t have a lot of examples of healthy, stable relationships around me when I was growing up and you can hear it in this song. This song is partially me putting myself in the shoes of my parents before they divorced, and partially me reflecting on why I needed to put an entire ocean between myself and where I come from.”
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
