Worthnothings

It’s pretty impressive that Georgia Anne Muldrow played all the instruments, and wrote and produced everything on her debut EP for Stones Throw. Thing is, even with all that talent on display, the record’s still missing something. There’s nothing overtly wrong with Worthnothings; actually, there’s even a lot right with it. Muldrow has a great voice, switching from an India.Arie croon to occasional Cee-Lo-style melodic raps, and harmonizes with herself well. She’s thoughtful and intelligent, and her beats are comforting without being predictable. But even with all these things in her favor, Worthnothings ends up, well, not really doing anything. It often hints at greatness, as in the dark "Demise" or the introspective "Nothingness," but Muldrow’s vocals meander about so much, hardly ever resting on something resembling a tune, that it becomes difficult to find something to really grab onto, to connect with. The record has enough structure to remind you that this kind of thing can be really nice, but then decides to never quite deliver, leaving you feeling faintly unsatisfied and wishing for a resolution (even a temporary one) that never comes. Muldrow is definitely talented; let’s just hope she finds some focus before she becomes permanently directionless.