Review by Nick Manduley

May 14, 2021

Singer-songwriter and Berklee graduate-to-be Katie Lynne Sharbaugh recently shared her debut single “Nothing Left To Lose” from her upcoming two-part release Little Blue Beetle. The jazzy garage-rock banger is currently available on all major streaming services.

Grooving its way into its first verse, “Nothing Left To Lose” is as sublime as it is riffy. Guitarist Aidan Fox executes various licks and progressions with feeling without compromising on conviction. Sharbaugh comes smooth onto the track, her intricate vocal melodies delivered with soul, grace, and precision. As the chorus rears its head, Sharbaugh commands the tune with catchy lyricism and captivating melody.

Bassist John Lisi provides air-tight grooves in conjuncture with the energetic drumming of The Brazen Youth’s Micah Rubin. The project was engineered by Charles Dahlke, who is also in The Brazen Youth; the bandmates had connected with Sharbaugh after meeting her manager Bernice Chan at Berklee’s A&R club. They invited Sharbaugh to record at their studio on a remote Connecticut farm, and after two weeks of hard work, emerged with the yet-to-be released Little Blue Beetle. The album will feature some guest musicians as well as Sharbaugh on strings and keyboards.

Nick Manduley is an aspiring music journalist and musician from Bradley Beach, NJ. He is currently an intern at Relix Magazine where he helps produce and curate online content. Since 2016, he has provided guitars and vocals for the local punk band Drive, Kid. Drive, Kid released an EP and a full-length album in 2018, and are currently recording their sophomore LP.

https://www.instagram.com/nick_drivekid/