When you lose your innocence, is that when you know that you’ve grown up? Is being an adult the same as being well-informed, with a hint of pessimism? It’s hard to tell exactly when you become an adult, when you become someone who has gone through all the complexities of adolescence and now has the best understanding of life. Maybe it’s a state that we never reach, a state that is always just out of reach… For Caroline Romano, getting older involves shedding that “perfect” persona and embracing the messes of life. It means transitioning to the dark side, which she explores on her new EP, How the Good Girls Die.
Fans will already recognize most of the songs on the EP, as they were previously released as singles. There’s the opening track, “Body Bag,” a coming-of-age electropop jam that focuses on the vulnerabilities and insecurities of finding your way in life. We then dive into the alt-pop confessional “Pretty Boys,” where Caroline addresses the manipulation and lies that she discovered within those boys who are too good for themselves. She sings, “Smiling at me through your scandal / Lying to your one real truth / That’s what pretty boys, pretty boys do.” On “Born to Want More,” Caroline continues to separate what is real from what is fake. It is a classic Caroline Romano song, full of questions and doubts. She wonders, “Was I born to want more? / Was I made to not be made for anyone?” It all leads up to “IDK These Days,” where she lets her fears get the best of her. She delivers a hasty, acoustic-driven track that captures pure emotional turmoil, especially in lines like, “You say I was never angry, but now I’m so full of rage / I could blame it on the weather or the city or my age / I know it’s so unbecoming / I don’t think it’s just a phase / I thought it was passing through, but now I fear it’s here to stay.”
The final two tracks on the EP are the ones that are new to listeners. Caroline sifts through the madness on “They Say,” highlighting the contrast between who she is and who she is supposed to be. She reveals, “There’s nothing wrong, I just can’t fall asleep most nights” and “I spent an hour in the mirror getting dressed.” Meanwhile, she recalls, “They say just give it time” and “They say it’s just getting good, don’t call it quits,” hoping that “they” are right. In the end, though, you just have to make your own mistakes and learn from them, which she explains on the closing track, “How the Good Girls Die.” It is a tender track, containing cautious words and sensitive vocals. Whether she is giving this advice to herself or to others, Caroline sings, “So, stay away from neon lights and boys who drink and kitchen knives / I swear to you, you’ll lose your mind chasing something new.” But by the end of the track, her position has changed. She realizes that she shouldn’t stop here, trying to avoid danger – she should go even further and abstain from anything that could lead to strong feelings. We hear, “Oh, better yet / Just spare your life / Don’t fall in love / Don’t chase the high / I swear to you, you’ll lose your mind / She’s living proof / This is how the good girls die.”
About the EP, Caroline explains,
“This EP is about chasing pretty things and tripping over your own dress while trying to catch them. It’s what I know about shapeshifting, parties, hunger, and vodka. It’s swimming pools, disco balls, bruises, and bar bathrooms. It’s feeling both young and old, breaking hearts, and having your own heart shattered into a thousand pieces. This EP is about how the good girls die.”
You can listen to How the Good Girls Die here.
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