EP Review: Connor Zwetsch “What Comes After”

If you’ve never heard of Connor Zwetsch, you have to keep reading. The Florida indie/folk singer-songwriter’s debut EP, “What Comes After,” is a well-rounded, substantial record gives listeners five amazing songs that they won’t stop playing anytime soon.

1. “Wasting Water”
Zwetsch makes a great decision starting the record with this song. After listening to the record, it’s clear to me that this is the perfect opening track: a song that gives listeners a really good idea of what exactly Zwetsch is all about. My first impression is that she effortlessly blends folk heritage, country warmth and pop femininity all into one neat, upbeat package, and this is only reaffirmed as the record progresses. A light-hearted, fun take on a love song, “Wasting Water” invites listeners into the record with open arms and inspires them to fall in love and take life as it comes.

2. “Open Road”
I absolutely love the irony in placing this song second. “Open Road” is a breakup song with Zwetsch’s upbeat twist. Her lyrics express a sense of hope (“Because a broken heart / is like an open road / so many ways for you to go.”), and the song is so infectious that by the first listen I was ready to sing along. Connor seems at ease with this heartbreak and looks towards the future with positivity.

3. “Candy Bars”
“Candy Bars” seems to take a different tone than the first two songs. While still positive, “Candy Bars” is a track that is hesitant to be outwardly excited; it prefers to keep a solemn sense of naivety and hopefulness. As she has already proved in the first two songs, Zwetsch can always spin a tired song idea in a new way, and this is no exception. “Candy Bars” is a song I’d want to hear played around a campfire on a cool summer night after a long day.

4. “Back to Boston”
“Back to Boston” immediately hits listeners with its soulful piano, and it’s immediately clear that Connor is looking to be serious on this track. In this song, Zwetsch moves on from something in her life, leaving that which just isn’t for her. While many would be sad in this situation, Zwetsch once again sees it as an opportunity for growth and new adventure. This track takes a stereotypical ballad, strips it down, and builds it back with an addicting twist.

5. “For Michelle”
Ending the EP on a melancholy note, “For Michelle” proves to listeners that, just because Zwetsch has a positive outlook on life, she’s just as human as all of us. I especially enjoy that the track is simply Zwetsch and her guitar; it really gives an intimate end to the record. I wouldn’t think to end a record on such a heavy note, but Zwetsch pulls it off flawlessly and leaves listeners wishing that the record was a full length.

Connor Zwetsch has really made a splash with her first EP, and if you’re not on board yet, you’ll be missing out on one of the best new women in indie music today.