Pensive Pop

Beloved Tennessee roots artist Amythyst Kiah shows off a handful of her influences on *Pensive Pop*, an eclectic EP of cover songs. Following Kiah’s acclaimed 2021 album, *Wary + Strange*, *Pensive Pop* is a testament to the singer-songwriter’s range as a performer, bringing seemingly disparate genres together for a cohesive snapshot of her musical DNA. She brings an aching soulfulness to Joy Division’s post-punk classic “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” accompanied by just an acoustic guitar. She finds the haunting blues song buried beneath Green Day’s “Hitchin’ a Ride.” And she shows off her inner rock star on Tori Amos’ “Sugar,” trading the original’s spacious arrangement for slick noir-pop. Finally, Kiah ventures into Top 40 territory with a take on Katy Perry’s “Chained to the Rhythm,” connecting dots between her own work and the pop world.