by Jade Winings (@jadewinings)
California's Rachel Gagliardi has finally released her first full length album under her solo project Pouty. The record displays feelings some would describe as bitter or generally bad reactions towards growing up, however they are portrayed shamelessly in light of all emotions not being necessarily negative which also translates into immense emotional growth. Not all people engage in confronting uncomfortable emotions, but Pouty does just that within her album Forgot About Me.
Introducing the overall sound of Forgot About Me was the first two singles, complementary to each other as “Virgos Need More Love” highlights the album’s sounds of 90’s niche pop music and leaves “Salty” to execute the surprise elements of punk, similar to Gagliardi’s past experience in bands Slutever and Upset. In representation of the writer's positive growing mindset about fulfilling dreams, bouncy drums and poppy bridges allow listeners to engage with the excitement of “The Big Stage” as we begin to imagine our largest lives and invoke the the possibility any dream can actually be too big. “Denial is a Heavy Drug” and “I Can't See It” portrays the shadow side of the past with descriptions of feelings of shame, angst, and the unknowing if one can make themselves erase our memory and move on instead of having to grow through the navigated trauma.
Within a mellow melody, raw guitar tones, and the image of a hazy moment of self reflection, the ending track “Underwear” concludes the album's string of thought by conveying a deep realization of the need to mature. The song is also about acceptance, representing a huge step in the process of growth accompanied by the expression of how hard it is to take action instead of further pushing away responsibility. Forgot About Me can simply be fun to listen to leisurely while also offering the opportunity of relatability you may be seeking. Over nine punk songs, Pouty has most definitely proven itself to be a project to continuously follow.