No one packs a punch quite like Grace Ludmila. She possesses a songwriting ability that’s completely unmatched, she pours her raw emotions out onto the page and translates it to her recordings in a way that no one else can. Her latest single “Hollow,” is just another example of how talented she truly is. It’s a grungy, heavy track that is absolutely PACKED with intensity – a true staple of Grace’s style.
“Hollow” starts with huge guitars in the forefront as the drums boom along behind them, it’s a small dose of what’s to come. Then the instruments dial back a bit to let Grace’s carefully crafted vocals shine through. Her storytelling is as compelling as ever, and the musicianship of her and her band does an incredible job of showcasing it. They are big when they need to be and also reserved when necessary, but it’s always there pulling you along, rocking you forward. Her lyrics are loaded with visuals as the lines range from being softly sung, to on the verge screamed. Grace says it herself “I’m not a poem, I’m stream of consciousness, guts spilled on the floor,” and this is exactly it, she writes these wordy verses and manages to stuff them perfectly into the song, in a way unlike any other – I wouldn’t want to hear it any other way.
Aside from the expert lyricism, “Hollow” also masterfully encapsulates the energy of a live performance, and with a lack of shows right now, we all really need this. I’ve seen Grace live multiple times now, and when listening to “Hollow” I can close my eyes and picture myself at the gig. Grace holds nothing back, whether she’s performing solo, with a full band, or recording, you feel it. “Hollow” is no exception. It’s always been one of my favorite things about her music, it’s always the first thing I’d say to describe her show, and it was certainly one of the first things that came to mind as I listened to “Hollow.”
After listening, if you want more (we know you will), stop by her Bandcamp and check out her EP Dedications, and don’t go far, because I wouldn’t want to miss whatever she’s got coming up next
Words by Jacob Saxton
Color Photo by Isabel Rudie