Possum is a folky project created by Naarm/Melbourne-based musician Kizzy Davies, who is surely set to rise up the ranks within the folk music industry soon! Possum Bitter is the first time I’ve ever heard Possum’s music before, but the tracks on this EP show real talent, so this record comes highly recommended from me! Find out more about Possum Bitter below!
By Jane Howkins
Possum Bitter starts out nicely with opener Come Drinking With Me, adding a traditional folk bent in straight away. It kicks off with a gorgeous violin melody, playing over the guitar and banjo. The song is a little more stripped-down on the verses, allowing Possum’s vocals to truly shine through. She has a stunning voice that is perfectly suited to this style of music, exuding a great deal of emotion throughout. The violins ebb and flow in the background, appearing at certain moments to emphasise the beauty of the track even more.
Shouldn’t Have Done That To You starts out sounding a little more minimalist, featuring just a fingerpicked acoustic guitar underneath Possum’s sumptuous vocal delivery. However, the sparse style really works, allowing her interesting lyrics to take full attention here, sung in a wonderful way. The guitar lines are almost jazzy at times, having quite an upbeat vibe, despite the lack of a proper rhythm section per se.
Bluestone is another more stripped-down tune, again opening with a simple (yet effective) fingerpicked motif. It’s more of a ballad than the previous tracks, simply oozing with beauty. More instrumental layers are added slowly into the background, creating a wonderful texture within the music. Towards the end, the violin is introduced subtly once again, as Possum shows the full extent of her vocal range, reaching some fantastic high notes.
Next up is Night Out In South Melbourne, seeing Possum singing in quite a fast way, following the gorgeous melodies she performs on her guitar. It sounds simple at first, but there’s a lot of breath control involved with the way she sings to this song, showing true talent. The chorus shows Possum raising her vocals up to a high pitch once again, displaying a powerful clarity that is unmatched by many folk artists nowadays.
WWJD is perhaps the quietest song on the EP, but it’s absolutely beautiful to behold. The main guitar melody breaks off every so often, allowing Possum’s vocals to truly shine through. There’s something very melancholic about this track, with its haunting vibes closing Possum Bitter out nicely.
Possum is a folk singer-songwriter who is set to be a true star, if the tracks on Possum Bitter are anything to go by. If you like folk music of any kind, you need to give this a whirl.
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