While it has definitely been two years since Maple Glider’s debut album came out, I Get Into Trouble sounds like it could easily have just been tacked onto the end of that one to make a double LP. Tori Zietsch has continued to write songs which explore her Christian childhood, her relationship to her body and her complicated relationships with other people, and ideas of mental health and loneliness. Working with the same drummer and the same producer also means that the sound of the album, the laid-back acoustics and the importance of the percussion, remains in very similar territory. Opener ‘Do You’, for example, starts with a beautiful but simple guitar lick and slowly grows through the increasing layers of drums and vocals – in a way that is reminiscent of many of the best songs she has released previously.
None of that is to say that she has stood still, though. In fact, it feels satisfying and right that a relatively new artist has been able to stick to their guns between album one and two and produce something that keeps fans connected. There is so often a temptation to make huge changes that aren’t needed. But Zietsch has managed to carry across the addictive choruses and the folky musings without seeming repetitive or tired.
A big part of her appeal, of what makes her unique, is the way she uses her words. ‘Don’t Kiss Me’ is one of the standout songs here and there is something really clever about the way she approaches a song about consent. The chorus of ‘sometimes my own body/doesn’t feel like my body/but definitely don’t kiss me’ is very intentional and to the point, but also feels like it could have different meanings for the listener to interpret. And there’s something lovely and heartbreaking about every word in ‘For You And All The Songs We Loved’ which talks about a relationship that has clearly come to an impasse, but still has enough in it that music might make a connection for a moment.
Lyrically, though, the standout song here is probably ‘You’re Gonna Be A Daddy. Any song that starts with ‘baby, you’re gonna be a daddy/I really want to be the cool aunty/like I am to my best friend’s dog’ is off to a winner – it says so much about the mindset of the storyteller and highlights another key part of what makes Maple Glider special; in all the potential misery of her songs, she’s fucking funny too. It’s at heart a beautiful song about wanting to connect with a human that hasn’t been born yet, but at the same time there is an admission of frailty and not being sure how well you will do at being there for them.
And this is the thing that continues to make Maple Glider a pleasure to listen to on album two. She writes sad songs, funny songs, and honest songs – and in all of them there are considerations of our dualities as people and how important other people are to our basic survival. She’s a wonderful songwriter and you have to hope that this album brings her to the attention of a wider audience.
Words by Fran Slater
Picky Bastards 
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