Katie Pruitt – Mantras
In February 2020, in reviewing Katie Pruitt’s full-length debut, Expectations, I stated that the then-25-year-old wrote “like an 18-year-old who’s about to turn 40.” Years worth of youthful angst, collected on a first full record of songs, combined with the anger and weariness of being a young gay woman raised in a religious, Southern environment, resulted in an emotional and lyrically uncompromising record, a shout out into a world that wasn’t fully ready to accept her. And then the pandemic happened, and the chance to shout along with these anthems in dark rooms packed with strangers instead became a time to stay home and absorb their message alone. Four years later, after finally being able to get back out and play some of those shows, the now-30-year-old(!) Pruitt has turned that outward yell to a search inward. Mantras still finds the singer unwilling to compromise on herself, but also ready to examine her past, her relationships and how to move her own life forward without fighting everything, particularly herself.
Similar to Expectations, Pruitt and her producers (this time around, primarily Collin Pastore and Jake Finch) chose to balance her sensitive songwriting with a bevy of guitars. Particularly on album opener “All My Friends,” four players (Pruitt, Finch, Pastore and Anthony Da Costa) create plenty of alt-rock jangle as Pruitt dives headfirst into what those first flashes of true adulthood decision-making feel like – “Moved away and ‘unfriended’ the Jesus freaks.” She also introduces the central theme of Mantras – doing what YOU do can work for you, even if others find it a little nutty – “A new mantra every other week/All my friends are finding new beliefs.” Traditional Southern religion, as it was on Expectations, is another big focus on this album. “White Lies, White Jesus and You” is a dark slice of confessional indie rock that accepts religion as a salve – “If you say that Jesus gives you peace of mind/That’s a good enough reason for me.” As the song gets riffier, though, Pruitt draws a line against using Christianity as a weapon – “You talk about salvation like a birthright/You use it like it’s some kind of excuse.”
Along this path to maturity, Pruitt usefully dips into her past. “Jealous of the Boys” is an acoustic number that has a younger Pruitt pining to be “normal,” in a sense, or at least wishing that her girl crushes were somehow more acceptable – “I would have a different body/If only God gave me the choice/But I’ve always been jealous of the boys.” it doesn’t read as a desire to transition – just a prayer to fit in. “Blood Related ” reintroduces family to her conversation, but much more empathetically than in Expectations. Where that Katie Pruitt was always dressed for battle, this 30-year-old edition sees that younger version from a new perspective in the opening lines – “Dinner table silence/Internal teenage violence/Staring in my father’s stress-filled eyes/His back was probably hurting/From life’s financial burdens/Same type of pressure I’ve internalized.” Sometimes, maturity, as welcome as it can be, also hits hard.
The main point, though, of mantras – and Mantras – is to find that singular way of pushing oneself past the internal chaos. So, how does Katie Pruitt, as a person, take that next step? “Worst Case Scenario” has the older and younger Katies meeting and arriving at some sort of truce. With a mandolin intro from Finch and a swirl of guitars, Pruitt addresses her penchant for negativity – “I am the king of disaster prevention/Skeptical of every good intention” – and, without denying it, finds a way to redirect it – “Once in a while maybe I should/Try manifesting something good/And even if it doesn’t pan out like I thought it would/I think it’d do me good.” It’s Pruitt’s own, grudging version of a “positive mantra put into action,” and it’s also the next step in her evolution as a songwriter.
Song I Can’t Wait to Hear Live: “Standstill” – penned with the similarly in-their-feelings Ruston Kelly, the song highlights the delicate side of Pruitt’s always-stellar voice while adding another piece to the mantra – “I’m scared it’s gonna end but then again everything will/So baby let’s just stand still.”
Mantras was produced by Collin Pastore, Jake Finch, Will Honaker, Jordan Lehning and Mike Robinson, recorded by Pastore, Finch, Honaker, Robinson and Jason Lehning, mixed by Pastore and Gary Paczosa and mastered by Paul Blakemore. All songs written by Katie Pruitt (co-writes go to Josie Dunne, Will Honaker, John Williamson and Ruston Kelly). Musicians on the album include Pruitt (lead and background vocals, guitar, keys, glockenspiel), Finch (guitar, drums, bass, keys, pedal steel, strings, glockenspiel, mandolin, banjo, background vocals), Pastore (guitar, keys, pedal steel, background vocals), Honaker (guitar, keys), Anthony Da Costa (guitar), Johnny Williamson (guitar), Kris Donegan (guitar), Dave Cohen (keys), Taylor Ivey (bass), Kevin McGowan (drums), Camille Faulkner (strings), Maggie Chafee (strings), Laura Epling (strings, string arrangement), SG Goodman (vocal direction), Hadley Kennary (background vocals), Jennifer Pruitt (background vocals) and Jess Nolan (background vocals).
Go here to order Mantras (out April 5): https://rounder.com/collections/katie-pruitt?_gl=1*knn3j1*_ga*MjA0NTQwOTUwNi4xNzExOTkwMzk4*_ga_C8NEFRDFQZ*MTcxMTk5MDM5Ny4xLjAuMTcxMTk5MDM5Ny4wLjAuMA..
Check out tour dates here: https://www.katiepruitt.com/#tour
