Beatrix questions her past, present, and future on ‘We Swallowed the Sky’

Recommended Tracks: “We Swallowed the Sky,” “Class Reunion,” “Dead Dog”
Artists You Might Like: Tessa Rose Jackson, Elora, Caroline Romano

Love is love—even when it’s not. What I mean to say is, when love comes to an end, it still hangs around. It can haunt you, to the point where you are questioning your past or your present or your future choices. There’s no easy way to avoid a love that has left, but you can embrace it and see what happens. This is what Beatrix does on her sophomore album, We Swallowed the Sky.

After a string-filled intro that teeters between graceful and sinister, we are ushered into Beatrix’s folksy, avant-garde world. As we move through this world, Beatrix introduces us to the “Ghosts of Tennessee,” where she cautiously reminisces on her past. There is an elegant façade to this track, provided by the piano and light string work, which tries to hide the minor undertones lurking underneath. The bittersweet hues then give way to the title track, where Beatrix looks back on a former relationship. It is a folksy and warm track with careful vocals, perfectly mixing whimsy with a bit of danger. She fondly shares, “I colored your eyes / Golden and brown / And they change in the light / We swallowed the sky,” but remembers, “I didn’t know you / And I never will.” It’s natural for people to change and grow apart from one another, and this sentiment is further explored on “Hole to China.” Here, Beatrix makes lonely observations like, “By the way, I learned that dreams come true / But not the one that I had with you,” accepting that her dream has come to an end. Some people are never meant to stay, and sometimes, they are never meant to be understood.

Toward the middle of the album, Beatrix focuses more on the present. On “Class Reunion,” Beatrix envisions what would happen if she ran into her ex at such a big event, based on how she feels right now. The drama builds throughout the song with dynamic flute and piano lines, with Beatrix singing, “Adamant on validation / Smiling big for compensation / Anything to cover up the truth.” We can feel the disappointment and the loss, but we soon trade all of that in for rage on “Dead Dog.” On this alt-rock infused track, Beatrix makes her presence known. She stands up to this person who only sees her as “a dead dog” by telling them, “You can have it all back / That stupid necklace you bought / Why don’t you send it to her? / I hope she likes it a lot.” This track shows her resilient side, but of course, there are times when the resilience becomes reckless. Beatrix longs to be saved on “Turn You Down,” telling someone, “Don’t apologize, baby” and “Park your car outside my house.” She wants to let this person into her life, but are they worthy of staying? There’s also “The Enemy,” which finds Beatrix in a doubtful state. The darkness from the piano enhances the lightness from her vocals, guiding her intrusive thoughts as she sings, “It’s just another night / Watching myself bleed / And the enemy is me.”

The final three tracks launch Beatrix into the future. Accompanied by twangy guitar lines and acoustic guitar strums, she thinks about what she would do if she was confronted by her past. She observes, “If I end up down in Texas / At the bridge where we first kissed / I’ll just walk right under it / ‘Cause I’m over you.” Listeners can tell that she is ready to move on, and this is confirmed with “My Angel.” A slow-burning ballad, “My Angel” captures the notion of letting go. While Beatrix might feel sad, she finds closure, especially when she sings, “But somewhere in the sky / There is evidence of you and I.” The project then comes to a close with “Bird Song,” a duet with John Lowell Anderson that serves as a perfect farewell to all we have heard. A clear vision comes to mind of Beatrix sitting outside and watching the storm clouds roll over. She reflects, “Under the cover of dark / Gone with your promise / Flying south before the storm / But the rain’s gonna get you / No matter where you’ve flown.” She has the upper hand, allowing karma to do its thing as she continues to heal.

Overall, We Swallowed the Sky plays out like a small feature film that is engaging from start to finish. Beatrix, along with the team of world-renowned musicians featured on the tracks, grip you with surprising melodies, bold riffs, and striking arrangements for a sound that leans avant-garde folk (if there is such a genre). Meanwhile, the lyrics are so visual and real that you want to listen right to the very end of each song to see if there will be a happy ending or not. Regardless, Beatrix creatively embraces her past, present, and future, and puts herself in control of the lovers-to-exes narrative.

From what I can tell, the sky tastes pretty good—storm clouds, haunting exes, and all.