Nell Mescal – Can I Miss It for a Minute? Review

Judge from the title alone and Nell Mescal brings on a familiar inability to focus. We are trodden on with anxieties out of our control and in the hands of employers, loved ones and strangers. Compartmentalising that on her debut EP, those feelings of killing time and needing some hopeful warmth from some stranger elsewhere in the pubs of home. Mescal brings on an expectedly warm range of relatable experiences, but the crucial difference which allows Can I Miss It for a Minute? to stand out is the honesty and maturity which guide its five songs. As complete a set of songs as it gets, and a rewarding listen for those who have been kicking around since the days of Homesick. This is a cycle of intense and open lyrics paired with a familiar vocal range for those investing their time in the acoustic-oriented singer-songwriters of today.  

There is no question Mescal is one of the finer musicians working this genre. Little room for competition and elbowing your way into the forefront is trickier now that alleged supergroups are formed, and the billionaire likes of Taylor Swift are sweeping audiences up with generic turns. Mescal at least has something to put on the line, that much is clear with the opener Warm Body. Perfect music to soundtrack your Friday evening, disassociating at your desk and shovelling pesto pasta down your throat. Can I Miss It for a Minute? is a wonderful rejection of those contagious, optimistic filler tracks which dominate the mainstream. Warm Body and following track Yellow Dresser fit nicely into place. Can I Miss It for a Minute has plenty of opportune moments to drift away from its upbeat core but its focus on showing off the exceptional vocal range Mescal has means listeners are solely reliant on the lyrical clarity. 

Thankfully an abundance of that is at hand. Where Killing Time suffers from the similarities of punchy instrumentals taken by a guitar solo right at the heart of it, the overhaul Mescal gives these experiences is wonderful. Nothing shy of solid work here from an artist who is hellbent on proving themselves. With the warmer weather in hand, the extra materials relating to hot months are upon us. Mescal presents another firm and intense vocal style in July, highlighting one of her many examples of reflective break-ups. Putting people on pedestals and looking down on them is a nice inverse, the simplicity of its back-and-forth brings about a triumphant tone rather than an expected bitterness. Avoiding this is a crucial change. 

Mescal does exceptionally well, then, on a debut EP which goes a long way in highlighting her key talents. Five tracks to prove herself and there is an abundance of quality to be found within. Her vocal range shifts from those shy memories to a confident boom of sincere intensity. Listen on through a couple of times and hear the growth. Can I Miss It for a Minute? is a remarkable piece of work, playing up those genre expectations well while also navigating a new voice through the overgrown patches of soft acoustics already being pulled apart by the likes of Faye Webster and Phoebe Bridgers. Mescal is already of their quality and the only way is up from here.