EP Review: Nina Bergman - Resurrection

When I reviewed the second album by Letters From The Fire, the praise for the good the album did was always couched in the reality that they were a very different band than on the debut album I love so much. I'm not sure I ever heard it the way I should have, since there was a cognitive dissonance between the two albums. The biggest bright spot of the change was Nina Bergman, who capably filled the role of spunky bad-ass that was needed. The singer/actress/model delivered on her part, and for whatever reason I didn't get around to talking about this solo EP of hers when it was released. Since we have some time, let's rectify that now.

"Still Alive" opens with a marching drum-beat and soft vocals that have the cadence of a nursery rhyme, which gives way to a chorus with the guitar tone of mid-00s post-grunge. The bridge has a stomping rhythm, and there's a feeling of industrial metal to the guitars, which turns around again to the melodic chorus and Nina's voice. I can't escape the feeling of a bit of a time warp, but it's interesting.

"In My Blood" is more an an anthem, with overlapping vocals featuring Nina belting out the title, while the guitars try to provide a propulsive backing. It's the most arena-sized song of the bunch. Myself, I'm drawn to "Follow Me", the more balladic song where Nina's experience as an actress shows through, as she's able to use her voice in different tones and colors, telling the story with her performance. By going from her sultry early notes to her powerful belting in the bridge, she gives the song plenty of dynamics. That makes for a more nuanced and developed song.

"Something's Coming" is partly goth rock, partly dance rock, and something rather different from the other tracks on this EP. The beat is the main driver of the song, and I can certainly imagine a music video with dramatic lighting accenting the lines of hard bodies. It might be trying to be a bit too sexy for someone like me, but it works for Nina. Then we finish things off with "Come Find Me", a softer track built on a drum loop and piano line, where Nina gets to sound her most vulnerable.

These five songs make for a solid release, and they show Nina's ability to mold herself into what the song requires. Already multi-talented, these songs show there's more ability there than we might have been able to see as of yet. "Resurrection" is a quick listen with some upside easily seen.