Words by Willa Rudolph; Cover photo by a perfect drowning
A perfect day for Comet’s new EP Quitter, cloudy and humid, air thick. Produced alongside Richard Orofino (Sexweek), the 4-track project is raw, and while at times aggressive and disorderly, it has an undeniable softness and polished edge. AKA it is produced really well. But Comet also has a distinct perspective and cohesive sound that you can tell is totally authentic to her as an artist.
Starting off with lead single “Opium,” released earlier this spring, the EP gets off to a strong start. Thematically, the project seems to represent the back and forth question of whether to quit someone or not…could you do it, even if you wanted to?
The music video, shot and edited by Fiona Kane is dreamy, sexy, and dark like an opium high.
If Evanescence and Alanis Morissette had a love child, it could easily be Comet’s ferocious but understated follow-up to 2023’s Two–Winged. Nü-metal & nü-grunge, the gritty and groaning track “The Hard Way” also has a sweetness to it that Comet laces throughout the EP’s rough, gravelly rock.
“Vain Memoirs and a Love Psalm” begins with slow, twinkling guitar and Comet’s moaning whisper. “The only thing worse than giving up / was finding out I was right about everything…” After she sighs that lyric, the song opens up wide and explodes with heavy drums, the guitars double and triple as the bass comes up behind you and knocks you out.
The final track of Quitter, “Winona II” sounds like a blank slate. It’s got a militaristic drum beat to the chorus, while the guitars harmonize and surround Comet’s voice like a blanket of blue sunlight. It’d be remiss of me not to mention these songs are not 2 minutes and 30 seconds long. They’re 4, 5 and even almost 6 minutes long, which we don’t see as much anymore! They’re odysseys.
Comet told PAPER Mag in April, “Quitter was my childhood nickname. Many see it as giving up or dropping out, but when I was a kid it was my way of releasing something that wasn’t for me and not wasting any more time living for other people or doing things just because I felt like I was expected to. I quit a lot of things. People should quit more.”
With a release show tomorrow at Mercury Lounge, supported by Taraneh and MX LONELY, the Comet gods are gifting you with a memorable night. Don’t miss it!
FROM COMET:
These 4 songs are my light at the end of the tunnel. Written between Los Angeles and New York, we have grown together into a new time and place. Album next. QUIT EVERYTHING. NEVER GIVE UP.
Produced by @richardorofino
Guitars: @chriscurtinmusic and myself
Bass: @icycrevice
Drums: @steadyhuman
Additional Guitars: @guitaryente & @pushups.nyc
Mixed by @alexprietosounds
Mastered by @timothy_stollenwerk
Engineered by @baileykrecords
Cover art by @aperfectdrowning and myself
