Concise yet impactful, ‘Peak Experience’ showcases Sydney Sprague and her band enhancing their already vibrant sound with synthetic textures and intriguing production techniques.
Listen to: ‘Peak Experience’ – Sydney Sprague
If you don’t want me, what’s the point.
* * *
It’s an extremely somber statement.
No matter when it comes up, whether in the context of an album or within a single track, it conveys deep sorrow and defeat. While I hesitate to say it leaves the listener with an unsettling feeling, it does cast a disquieting shadow, and ultimately, we are left in it.
I believe that’s the intention.
This is the final sentiment voiced by singer-songwriter Sydney Sprague on her third album, Peak Experience. However, it’s not the last sound before the closing track, “Your Favorite,” concludes – that distinction belongs to the glitchy, digital sounds that organically wrap up the album. Just before that ending, she poignantly sings the closing lines.
“I can see your point of view,” she acknowledges in the closing moments of “Your Favorite.” “Reading Rainbow context clues. I don’t think I’m paranoid – if you don’t want me, what’s the point.”
This theme recurs throughout Sprague’s previous works, perhaps indicating the emotional landscape from which she often writes — one filled with anxiety and self-doubt, steeped in existential dread.
“What’s the worst that could happen?” she mused four years ago in the raucous “Staircase Failure” from her striking debut, Maybe I Will See You At The End of The World.
“I just think the worst – think about it all the time,” Sprague revealed in the album's captivating title track.
There’s a playful yet sardonic touch to her nihilism. The humor persists until it no longer seems funny, and it becomes challenging to discern where that line lies.
Peak Experience – Sydney Sprague
What’s the point.
While we joke about it now, my best friend practically nudged me away from my nihilistic views, or at least from being as outspoken about them as I had been for a long time.
I understand her reasoning. It wasn’t one of my most charming or likable traits. The humor fades when it becomes unfunny. My once vocal anxiety surrounding mortality — sardonic until it wasn’t. This mindset often led to me quietly scoffing at the idea of retirement during our annual meetings with my spouse and financial advisor, nodding along while my thoughts drifted to darker places.
“You’re on track to retire at age 70,” our financial advisor detailed in a Zoom call.
But my mind couldn’t help but ponder the chances of me actually reaching that age.
What are the odds this planet will remain habitable in thirty more years?
A joke until it isn’t.
What’s the point.
There were times when, half in jest and half in sincerity, I would utter phrases like, “Nothing matters, and we all die alone.”
Maintaining hope is undeniably challenging. Often, it feels like an unattainable request. Things, both globally and personally, sometimes don’t seem like they will ever change, improve, or feel lighter.
I recently turned 42 and was surprised I made it this far, as there was a phase in my life filled with doubt.
I just think the worst. I dwell on it constantly.
A joke until it stops being one.
It’s hard to even muster a sense of hope or optimism when what you’ve known for so long feels utterly hopeless.
What’s the point.
Sydney Sprague © Ellie Carty
Sydney Sprague © Ellie Carty
* * *
What I find captivating, and a key element that keeps me genuinely interested in contemporary popular music, is the chance to witness a relatively new or emerging artist evolve.
A career in music doesn’t guarantee longevity; for various reasons, an artist or band might only release one or two albums before fading away. Thus, it’s quite impressive when someone can sustain their momentum.
However, sustainability doesn’t always equate to growth or artistic development, which is why it’s thrilling to recognize an artist continually pushing and challenging themselves in their creative work.
Peak Experience marks Sydney Sprague’s third full-length album but is the first she is releasing independently. Following a series of self-released EPs, she launched both Maybe I Will See You At The End of The World and its bold follow-up, Somebody In Hell Loves You, through Rude Records. Peak Experience is also her shortest album — a lively eight songs with a runtime of just over 20 minutes. Yet, Sprague and her band make every second count, delivering a collection of songs driven by a blistering sense of immediacy.
From her debut onward, Sprague’s music has radiated exuberance. This energy makes it difficult to categorize her sound. One might label it guitar-driven power pop, or note its emo influences, which has
Concise and impactful, ‘Peak Experience’ showcases Sydney Sprague and her band elevating their vibrant sound by incorporating synthetic textures and intriguing production methods.