JOSIE PROTO - PUB SONGS: VOLUME 1 EP
Georgia shares her thoughts on the debut Josie Proto EP release, PUB SONGS: Volume 1, and lets you know whether she thinks you should listen or not.
There’s a new name in the Britpop scene: Josie Proto. After taking over TikTok with her upbeat, sassy folk-pop songs earlier this year, her debut EP PUB SONGS: Volume 1 could not have come any faster. At five songs, the EP is a welcome insight into the depth of Proto’s song writing.
Opener ‘BTEC Lily Allen’ is the song that started it all for Proto. Driven by a simple acoustic guitar backing, it’s full of snappy lyrics sung by Proto in a cheeky conversational tone similar to Kate Nash, and of course, Lily Allen. It’s basically a massive screw-you to hateful criticisers – and the internet loved it. After its success on TikTok, Proto opted to release ‘BTEC’ as the first single from the EP. While it’s a great track for drawing listeners in, it’s not the strongest track on PUB SONGS.
That honour goes to ‘Burner’. Written during the COVID-19 lockdown with Ben Matravers, this is the track I couldn’t get out of my head. It takes the simplistic drive from ‘BTEC’ and reinvents it in a more mature way. The production sounds cleaner, the lyrics flow well, and it’s incredibly catchy. You can guarantee that the line “fuck it I’ll go live in a cave” is going to be a hit when Proto finally gets to play a live gig post-COVID.
‘Sliced Bread’, written when Proto was just 16, is a fun break-up tune (if such a thing can exist). This is where the strongest Lily Allen vibes come through – everything from the electronic blips to the imitation of the ex-partner could have come straight from Allen’s MySpace in 2006. Running at 3 minutes and 32 seconds, it’s the longest track on the EP, but never feels like it’s dragging on. You can definitely hear how Proto has developed from ‘Sliced Bread’, especially as ‘Burner’ directly follows, but it was the right choice to include it.
‘Wales’ is a world away from the first three tracks on PUB SONGS. It’s a slow ballad that showcases Proto’s vocals. It shifts away from the conversational tone into something much more heartfelt and broody. Proto laments all the things she hasn’t done yet – although at 19 she has lots of time yet. While ‘Wales’ differs significantly from the rest of the EP, it shows an interesting side to Proto that I’d love to see more from.
‘3 Words’ rounds out the EP. The only track not to be released before PUB SONGS dropped, it feels like something you’d hear in a mid-2000s teen rom-com (think Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging). It returns to the light-hearted nature of the start of the EP, with bright instrumentals and clever lyrics. The highlight comes towards the end of the track, where Proto’s vocals begin to alternate. It’s a climax that only lasts a few seconds before everything cuts out, leaving just Proto and some subtle chords. It’s the moment where our teen protagonist would get their first kiss, and it’s euphoric.
Overall, PUB SONGS: Volume 1 is a triumphant first effort from Proto. It gives us a broad insight into what she’s capable of, and where her strengths lie. Above all, though, it’s just a lot of fun. Expect big things from Josie Proto over the next few years.
Georgia Griffiths
★★★★☆