Unsteady is a track just over 2 minutes long, afflicted by modern pop music’s denial of a bridge. I found this Caroline Romano song to be a laid-back exploration of the feeling of yearning and reaching for love despite your own hesitations.

Caroline recounts things with a magnetic pull, such as the moon and the tide, to evoke feelings of belonging between herself and the subject. 

Whilst personally I found that the lyrics teeter between simple and evocative, the track is easy to listen to, even easier to sing along to. So a win in my books, as it balances out the metaphor-heavy pop tunes that dominate the top 40s these days. 

This song makes me think of an early era Taylor Swift. Guitar-heavy, with lyrics that get to the point. 

I am a fan of the production. Especially around the 2:10 mark of the song, where this echoy harmonisation occurs to bring the song to a close. Whilst I do think this song would greatly benefit from a bridge that hooks the listener in, à la Gracie Abrams, I will definitely be adding it to my yearning playlist. Mainly because of how well it captures that calmness you feel when you have found your person.

I’ll be tuning into Caroline’s EP, It Took Me Falling, to see how she continues the exploration of heartbreak and love as conveyed in Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Up the Stairs and Unsteady. 

It Took Me Falling is out now.

Listen to the new EP on Spotify or your streaming platform of choice.