Connecticut music darling Addy Edward has given us his first offering of 2021, “Too Hungry to Eat.”

Edward had an impressive 2020 with his Playing Dead EP along with singles “Daybreak Eyes,” and “Barking Answers.” “Too Hungry to Eat” seems to take Edward into uncharted territory. As the song builds it comes to something of a cacophonous ending, with a lot going on sonically… maybe like a junior version of an Animal Collective track?

“Too Hungry to Eat” is full of subtle touches that fill in the voids and expand its scope. If you’re listening on your phone or laptop speakers, you’re not going to appreciate all Edward has done here. The backing vocals are sunlight breaking through the forest canopy, there’s gentle pitter patter, and a bassline that holds it all together.  There is a wonderful battle going on in a normally harmonious rhythm section: the bass line is soothing and acts as a foil against the percussion that can make you feel off balance. There’s something challenging about the percussion and I don’t have the musical terminology to correctly describe it, but it’s unsettling in a good way; it adds an extra touch of texture. As you dive deeper into the song and realize that Edward has created an otherwise smooth and flowing track, you wonder if he wanted to add something jarring.

“Too Hungry to Eat” is a song about our jarring emotions and our internal battles. The chorus gives us a picture of simple, nagging, human struggle: “Too tired to sleep/Too hungry to eat/Too anxious to breathe/Too empty to grieve.” “Empty vessels don’t feel light” give us a simple, but powerful expression of sadness and depression. Addy Edward has masterfully composed a track that encompasses both the off-kilter nature of these low moments in life, but also the compassion and care people need to overcome them. “I’m on my knees/I’m begging you please/ Fill my cup ‘cause I’ve run dry/Empty vessels don’t feel light,” sings Edward, eluding to the help he needs to find himself again.

It will be interesting to see where Addy takes this going forward. “Too Hungry to Eat” lies somewhere between his 2020 releases and 2018’s Picture of Youth (also good, if you’re so inclined). It’s good to see an artist continue to grow, develop, and change, and we’ll be here for whatever his evolution brings us.

“Too Hungry to Eat” along with Addy Edward’s entire discography is available for purchase at BandCamp.

Michael Stroneski, editor at mvsicthovght, has started several blogs and multi-media projects you’ve never seen. He is a life-long cheerleader for Connecticut and underground music. You can reach him at contact@mvsicthovght.com