As rain patters at my window while I sip tea and listen to Lauren Pratt’s single “Haunting”, the atmosphere I’m in is eerily perfect. Ghostly in both a lyrical and melodic sense, the single leaves me shivering as the Florida-native’s alluringly deep voice rises high at the chorus, against the far away waning of a pedal steel guitar.
“Haunting” comes off Pratt's upcoming September album Young American Sycamore. The song's beginning reminds me of Patsy Cline's "Crazy" in both the first words as well as the melody. Pratt takes from folk influence as well as country, with the steel guitar returning to dominate the bridge. The paired video employs scenes of fading colours that slowly move in and out of focus; creating picturesque moments set in an isolated place. Even considering the visual beauty, Pratt’s voice is still the primary focus of the video due to its singular depth and texture. I’m excited to see how she uses this talent and obvious visual creativity to further add to the Americana genre.
