Nashville indie-rock singer-songwriter Abby Nissenbaum turns weakness into strength on her second EP, "Don't Want to Cry." The five songs journey through trauma, broken trust, anxiety, healing, and ultimately empowerment. The 16-minute, 3-second EP was recorded with producer Steph Trivison over a year. "Don't Want to Cry" is about losing power and finding it again.
Nissenbaum takes us on a journey with a remarkable blend of emotional honesty and bouncy, upbeat energy, so the EP feels less like a wallowing confession and more like a chat with a protective, uplifting friend reminding you of your own strength. The EP opens with "Limerence," a modern indie-pop song with throwback elements inspired by queer synthpop bands of the early 2000s. The song was originally written on bass, and the final production adds a personal touch, with Trivison sampling Nissenbaum's demo bass line as the lead-in instrumental.
"Real Friends" tackles the messy aftermath of relationships involving betrayal, backstabbing, and broken trust. At the same time, "Perfect Crime" takes serious topics surrounding mental health, toxic relationships, and being harmed or silenced and turns them into an empowering, hopeful anthem. "High Alert" continues the emotional progression, navigating heavy, anxious feelings while building toward the EP's title track. The collection closes with the final song, "Don't Want to Cry," a message of empowerment for anyone who has been harassed, bullied, or made to feel small.
On five brief tracks, Nissenbaum makes an EP that acknowledges hard experiences without concluding one. "Don't Want to Cry" leaves us with a note of hope, a reminder that you can reclaim your personal power, even when it feels like it's been completely taken from you.
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