Press & Reviews
Early reactions to Reid Parsons’s Debut EP
“Charlie” Named 4th Best Vermont Song of 2018
“This harrowing short story packs years of a troubled young man’s life into four minutes, switching narrative perspectives several times like a sonic The Sound and the Fury. Parsons chooses every word carefully, the few details she provides painting a dark picture. The final line of the first chorus – chillingly emphasized by the music suddenly dropping out – says it all: “But Charlie never listens / He’s not like our other children / And if I had to tell you the truth / I don’t love him at all.””
Debut Recording Snags Spot in Best Vermont EPs of 2018
“I don’t know that there are 60 seconds of music I liked more in 2018 than the end of Reid Parson’s “Not Ready to Return.” But don’t skip straight there. That minute’s power requires the EP-long build to that cathartic finish. Across five spare, poetic songs, Parsons chooses her words judiciously, sketching rich narratives while leaving space for listeners to fill in the details.”
Former Slam Poet’s Songwriting Contest Win Funds Brilliant Debut EP
“She won it, and, if the songs she performed then sound anything like they do now, I can’t imagine anyone else was even close. And without her victory that evening, we might not have one of the most fully-formed debuts of the year. The prize included two free days at a local Vermont studio, and the Reid Parsons EP she recorded there sounds like someone preparing half their life for this moment – which this 25-year old has, writing songs since age 13.”
“Charlie” Named Best New Song of November 2018
“Reid Parsons’ debut EP finds a young songwriter emerging fully-formed. Take “Charlie,” a harrowing short story that packs years of a troubled child’s life in under four minutes. Parson’s doesn’t waste a word, with poetry worthy of Townes Van Zandt. Early on, the narrator mother laments a son who started bad, and got worse. Though the details are sparse (and, in a Faulkner-esque touch, the narrator shifts a couple times), the final line of the first chorus – chillingly emphasized by the music suddenly dropping out – says it all: “But Charlie never listens / He’s not like our other children / And if I had to tell you the truth / I don’t love him at all.””
Seven Days Writes Glowing Album Review
“That same appreciation and mastery of pop comes through on her five-track collection — though more in structure than style. Parsons sticks to the tried-and-true sounds of wistful Americana, bolstered by the incomparable talents of some noteworthy local players. Namely: Russ Lawton contributes drum work, and Brett Lanier adds his exceptional pedal steel skills. Compositionally, the artist's verses are wrought with tension, which inevitably find their way to cathartic and memorable choruses.”