Music is a vital part of human culture. It creates community, entertainment, comfort and sparks a plethora of emotions in listeners. In her 2018 debut album, I Need to Start a Garden, Haley Heynderickx sings about loneliness and self. With unique artistry and melodies, Heynderickx’s album is distinctive among other music.
The album is just short of 31 minutes long and contains eight original songs: No Face, The Bug Collector, Jo, Worth It, Show You a Body, Untitled God Song, Oom Sha La La and Drinking Song. Heynderickx is known for her contemplative lyrics and fingerstyle acoustic playing on alternatively tuned guitars.
Heynderickx’s lyrics, while often enigmatic, help tell the narrative of discovery and becoming comfortable with oneself while also dealing with the effect relationships can have on you. And while her lyrics feel deeply personal, you can’t help but feel like she is part of your own inner dialogue.
The album starts with the song No Face, where the narrator essentially, asks what is wrong with her and then begs to be told her flaws so she can understand them. In the song Worth It, she sings about her desire for companionship while admitting that she is willing to be hurt if it means being loved. And while aware that this is unhealthy, she can’t help but feel it. Then, Oom Sha La La is a song of self-reflection. The narrator feels she has accomplished little but desires to do great things. At one point in the song, she sings “I need to start a garden” three times until the fourth and final time she screams it; this is a powerful bridge for listeners.
What makes her lyrics so good is that they feel authentic. She sings about very relatable topics that often aren’t talked about. The need to be loved and the struggle to love yourself are two very relevant concepts in the modern world and can be related to people of all ages. Her narrator is not one person; it’s you and me and everyone.
The first word that comes to my mind when describing this album is raw. Not only do Heynderickx’s lyrics feel incredibly personal, but many times she is singing with just herself and a guitar. The lack of instrumentation results in a sound that makes the album feel intimate.
While also being the singer in the album, Heynderickx often accompanies herself on acoustic guitar and/or bass. She plays fingerstyle guitar to create complex melodies. These particularly stand out in songs like The Bug Collector, Drinking Song, No Face and, although it is piano, Show You a Body.
Her playing is eclectic and free. The melodies are intricate and smart. Heynderickx’s instrumentation is well thought out from beginning to end. It tells its own story.
In the song The Bug Collector, the guitar feels nostalgic at first, but as the song progresses, it gets more aggressive. However the tune stays (almost) the same throughout. In Show You a Body, the piano is ethereal. The piano and guitar play a duet with Heyndrickx, a call and response. In many ways, the instrumentation is a voice of its own and plays a unique part in the storytelling. While vocally good, both songs stand out when it comes to the accompaniment.
The folk album, I Need to Start a Garden, is introspective and authentic. It’s relatable to the listener while also feeling deeply personal to the narrator. The lyrics, paired with the melody, create an intimate listening experience. If you want an album that will make you feel something, look no further than Haley Heynderickx’s I Need to Start a Garden.
