Don’t let Marika Hackman’s innocuous appearance fool you – this Brit has bite. The 25-year-old singer songwriter has been acknowledged for her moody, in-depth approach to folk music, landing her touring spots alongside the likes of Laura Marling. While her debut full-length, We Slept At Last, was glum and gorgeous, Hackman had another tone in mind for her upcoming sophomore release, I’m Not Your Man.
“I wanted to let rip and lose control,” Hackman said in a press release. “That’s the kind of music I’ve always wanted to make. When I was younger I wasn’t looking at Joni Mitchell. I was looking at Nirvana thinking, ‘I wanna be like that!’”
The artist has successfully achieved something coarser in her latest single from I’m Not Your Man – the snarling “My Lover Cindy.” Before you can taste the bitter core of this track, Hackman pulls you in with insatiable melodies. Her lithe voice suggests a safe space, priming you for a puppy love number with the opening lyrics.
“If I was a liar, I would call you my friend/Let’s hope the feeling’s mutual in the end.”
Hackman’s sweet yet rigid delivery floats atop tangy Johnny Marr-esque guitar riffs, making the nasty little chorus all the more shocking.
“’Cause I’m a fucking pig/I’m gonna get my fill/I’m gonna keep my eyes on the prize/And I’ll suck you dry, I will”
Hackman has suggested that the song is a critique of instant gratification in every aspect of contemporary life – even relationships – especially in a time when sex is a “throwaway thing.” The song’s rather unlikable narrator is clearly afraid of commitment, but isn’t willing to deal with the consequences associated with such fear.
Near the song’s end, small voices chant behind Hackman’s croon – as if they’re whispering in a lover’s ear, or dictating a late night booty call: “I’m not the one, I’m not the one, but I like you.”
It might be depressing, but “My Lover Cindy” is certainly a song for the modern romance.
I’m Not Your Man is out on Sub Pop Records on June 2nd.
