When she visited WXPN for a Key Studio Session this winter, Philly singer-songwriter Julia Pratt debuted a couple new songs, including an effervescent pop bop called “Would It Kill Ya” that opened her set. Backed by bandmates Harley Torres on bass and Tate Berkey on drums, the song grooved infectiously, but the single version released this week sets a very different, but equally impactful mood.
Layers of vocal harmony are added in the mix — sometimes for a bright and emotive effect, other times more murky and jarring — and the band accompaniment is mostly dialed back into nuanced atmospheres, turning the focus to Pratt’s voice and lyrics pondering a personal connection that’s fallen out of balance.
Take a listen below. While Pratt does not have any hometown shows on the books at the moment, she is going on a two-week run with Vancouver Sleep Clinic on the west coast beginning on March 15th; she also has a New York show at Mercury Lounge on April 11th. Keep up on her goings-on over at @juliaprattmusic on Instagram.