B-Side Guys

Musical pilgrimages have a way of revealing unexpected truths about both the places visited and the traveler themselves. On her third EP “STILL PLAYING,” Sheffield-born, Liverpool-based singer-songwriter See Emily Play transforms her journey through America’s great musical cities into a four-track meditation on millennial identity, mental health, and the deliberate resistance to premature adulthood. Working with producer Robert Whiteley (BC Camplight, Courting), she’s crafted her most technically accomplished and emotionally direct work yet.

Opening track “YOKO ONO WAS SEVEN YEARS OLDER THAN JOHN” immediately establishes the EP’s expanded sonic palette, trading Emily’s chamber-pop foundation for Nashville-influenced arrangements that feel both geographically specific and emotionally universal. The song’s exploration of May-December relationships unfolds against what she describes as “the sound of a Nashville skyline,” creating country-tinged backdrop for lyrics that examine power dynamics with characteristic wit and insight. Emily’s distinctive vocals—often compared to Kate Bush but possessing their own theatrical precision—navigate the song’s narrative terrain with confidence that speaks to years of honing her craft on stages across the UK.

“WHAT THE HELL IS BDD,” released in November 2024 as the EP’s flagship single, represents Emily at her most socially conscious and musically adventurous. The rollicking, bluegrass-tinged arrangement provides deceptively upbeat framework for serious examination of body dysmorphic disorder, demonstrating her gift for making difficult subjects accessible without diminishing their complexity. Released in partnership with the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation alongside a companion article in The New Feminist, the track showcases Emily’s commitment to using her platform for advocacy rather than mere entertainment.

The song’s musical arrangement deserves particular attention—banjo and fiddle elements create authentic American folk texture while maintaining distinctly English sensibility that prevents cultural appropriation concerns. Emily’s vocal delivery balances vulnerability with strength, making lines like “It’s been thirty-six whole fucking months since I felt like me” land with devastating honesty rather than performative angst. This willingness to confront personal struggles through specific detail rather than vague metaphor distinguishes her songwriting from less courageous peers.

“DO YOU LOVE ME” provides necessary tonal shift, its Blondie-inspired arrangement creating what Emily describes as “mildly unhinged” energy that captures millennial dating anxiety through new wave filter. The track demonstrates her range as both vocalist and songwriter, proving equally comfortable with aggressive rhythms and vulnerable confessions. The production here benefits from Whiteley’s experience with artists like BC Camplight, creating space for Emily’s vocals to soar while maintaining instrumental clarity that prevents the arrangement from overwhelming her distinctive delivery.

The synth-driven backbone recalls 80s new wave without resorting to nostalgic pastiche, instead using familiar sonic elements to explore thoroughly contemporary emotional territory. Emily’s performance captures the manic energy of modern romance—the constant questioning, the digital miscommunication, the desperate search for authentic connection within systems designed to commodify intimacy.

Closing track “I’M BOWING OUT” serves as the EP’s emotional and artistic culmination, stripping away the previous tracks’ genre experiments to focus on Emily’s core strengths: storytelling precision and vocal vulnerability. The understated, reflective arrangement creates perfect contrast to the collection’s more energetic moments, allowing space for the kind of introspection that reveals genuine growth rather than manufactured wisdom.

The song’s meditation on mental health recovery—”it would be a shame to undo all [the] hard work now that I’ve been feeling sane”—provides thematic resolution to the EP’s exploration of millennial anxiety while acknowledging that healing remains ongoing process rather than destination reached. Emily’s vocal performance here demonstrates remarkable restraint, resisting the temptation to oversell emotional moments through unnecessary vocal gymnastics. Instead, she allows the lyrics’ honesty to carry the emotional weight, creating intimacy that feels earned rather than performed.

The production throughout “STILL PLAYING” reflects Emily’s artistic evolution since her previous releases, incorporating elements from alternative country and new wave while maintaining the chamber-pop foundations that initially distinguished her work. Whiteley’s production creates cohesive sound despite the EP’s stylistic diversity, ensuring that Emily’s voice remains the unifying element across different musical approaches.

What makes this EP particularly compelling is Emily’s ability to address serious subjects—mental health, relationship dynamics, social issues—without sacrificing the joy and humor that make repeated listening possible. Her stated goal of creating something that “felt light” while navigating life’s heavier moments results in collection that honors complexity without becoming burdensome.

For listeners familiar with Emily’s previous work supporting artists like The 1975 and Catfish and the Bottlemen, “STILL PLAYING” confirms her evolution from promising opening act to fully realized artist deserving headliner status. The EP’s brief 19-minute runtime proves perfect for its concentrated emotional content, providing complete artistic statement without overstaying its welcome.

As Emily enters what she calls “the twilight years” of her twenties, “STILL PLAYING” stands as compelling argument for refusing premature adulthood while maintaining emotional honesty about the challenges that refusal entails. It’s music for anyone who’s ever felt caught between societal expectations and personal authenticity—which is to say, music for almost everyone navigating contemporary existence.