React: Mia Peters - Just a Heads Up (EP)
Heads up, it's a great EP!
This one will be interesting given that I discovered Mia Peters on Threads. Was just scrolling that sweet for you timeline on Threads and a post recommending her music popped up. Me being me, I’m a sucker for discovering new music. I’m also a sucker for finding artists with a relatively small fanbase.
Quite frankly, I have no idea what genre she is or even what her voice sounds like.
So without further ado, here’s my first reaction to Mia Peters’ Just a Heads Up (EP).
10th of March
Right from the start, I’m getting a singer/songwriter vibe. The acoustic guitar is probably doubled and panned to the left and right, giving it a wider sound. I love how close the snap is here. Very intimate with a small, but fast reverb added.
Her vocals remind me a lot of Lana Del Rey. That sort of whisper, speaking voice.
I love how thick and heavy the bass is in the verses. It’s very in your face. Yet, when you get to the chorus, it immediately disappears into the background.
The changeup in the bridge is refreshing and unique. I love the synth here and the funky bass.
YES! That guitar solo. I’m here for it. I do wish the guitar was a bit louder and stereo-panned. I feel like the guitar is lacking energy. I’m in love with the backing vocals on this track. They’re lower in the mix but have the perfect amount of reverb and distance.
Overall, 10th of March is a solid first track. I’m stoked to hear the rest of the album.
Countryside
Nice touch. The guitar that plays out of the left channel reverbs in the right channel.
A completely different track. Her vocals are right in my ear, right down the center. The backing vocal on the line, Asked you to stay is stereo panned with a bit of distortion. The sound effect when she sings, And you jumped the gun is great. Again, nice touch.
This chorus hits hard. I bopped my head through the entire chorus. That’s an immediate add to library for me. The transition between the first chorus and the second verse with the violin is fantastic. It comes in, takes the stage, and immediately goes away.
I love that the backing vocals aren’t static. When she sings, But don’t use your words, it’s a completely different vocal effect. It keeps you interested. Speaking of love, the second chorus got me again. It’s so good. The addition of the muted piano here is great, along with the very dry snare.
Y’all know I’m a sucker for an instrumental break in songs. Countryside is no exception. It gives you time to really get into the song and hear all the details.
I was listening closely to hear how Mia was going to close out the song. I’m not disappointed. The ending of this song reminds me ofMichael Jackson’s Who Is It. Stripping everything away, leaving just the organ at the end.
If it weren’t obvious, I love this song. I added it to my favorites list on Apple Music.
Hemingway
Right off the start, you have the high-pass filtered drum pattern. It’s giving emo-rock vibes.
Woah there, that pace change. I was not expecting that. That distorted guitar is fantastic. Again, emo rock vibes. If I was recording a visual reaction, you’d see me rocking out right now.
The breakdown drum pattern with the plucked guitar in the second verse is a nice change of pace. The steady hi-hat pattern in the right channel is interesting. It’s very low in the mix.
But what stands out more than anything is how carved out the low end on this song is. Not just the bass or the kick drum, but everything. There’s almost nothing musically below around 40 Hz or so. It forces said instruments into the background.
YES. I think I’m starting to notice a pattern. We’re only halfway through the album, but I think Mia Peters knows how to write killer bridges. From the songwriting to the instrument choice. It’s fantastic. I love the use of a synth here, it gives the song a retro vibe. That combined with the strings and lighter bass takes me back (musically, I wasn’t around back then) to the late 80s.
The layered guitar, plucked guitar, and super wide synth are a great way to end the track. It reminds me of how Taylor Swift’s cardigan ends.
Better Times
Back to that 80s synth-pop vibe. I’m vibin’.
I’m loving the two separate backing vocals. The one in the right channel is mostly mirroring the main vocal and has a bit of reverb added to it. While the backing vocal in the left is more monotone and dry. It’s a nice contrast.
The transition from the first chorus to the second verse is chaotic. I’m not sure there’s a better word for it. There’s so much going on. The drum beat is very interesting and adds to the chaos as well. The immediate back and forth on the tom to snare is quite fascinating. I’m torn on whether or not I love it or hate it. I’m leaning towards love, but I’m not sure.
This song is honestly so chaotic in its composition that I’m having a hard time keeping up. It’s one of those songs that I’ll need to have a few passes before I can fully grasp what’s going on. It’s a little sensory overload on the first pass.
Again, legendary bridge. Nothing else needs to be said.
The final chorus is the only part of the song where I feel it’s not chaotic.
Rome
It sounds like this is the first ballad on the album. I have no idea what to expect.
It’s a beautiful track with even better songwriting (both are great!). Lines that immediately stood out to me are, I wore my heart on my sleeve. Wishing I was back in Rome. I would never leave.
I spent too much time vibing to this track, so excuse the lack of commentary here. The buildup on this track is absolutely perfect and gorgeous. The stripped back final chorus leading into the outro is chef’s kiss.
Run
Alright, the last track on the album. The mono, centered drums in the first verse are an interesting choice. I was not expecting that. It grabbed my attention immediately.
I’m not sure if Mia is the one playing the guitar on this track. But whoever it is is absolutely killing it with that melody. The soft bass guitar is a nice touch. It’s very low in the mix but fills out the production perfectly.
Do I need to say more? The bridge is fantastic.
Mia couldn’t have picked a better song to end the album on. It’s upbeat. It’s fun. And it left me craving more.
Conclusion
If it weren’t obvious, I loved this album. Just a Heads Up is a perfect singer/songwriter album that mixes in a bit of pop, country, and emo rock.
The thing that stood out to me more than anything else were the bridges on each track. I won’t hold back. She knows how to write bridges and absolutely killed it every time.
Mia took risks and it absolutely paid off. Some may say it’s overdone, but I loved how every song ended. It’s the classic "build it up and tear it down" formula.
I had no expectations coming into this album. I’ve come out of it very happy. I look forward to her other work and whatever she comes up with next.
Note: This reaction was completed after listening to Mia Peters - Just a Heads Up on Apple Music with Lossless Audio enabled (24-bit, 44.1 kHz).