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Single Review: 'Grilled Cheese' by Martha Hill

Newcastle based Martha Hill is back with her first single ‘Grilled Cheese’ from her upcoming EP ‘Summer Up North’, and it’s a poppy, upbeat take on still being in love with someone who’s fallen out of love with you. The difference between this single and her previous EP is stark, but it is incredibly welcomed!

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The song opens with a very simplistic guitar strum which beautifully highlights Hill’s vocals and immediately the lyrics are a sucker-punch to your feelings:

“My baby messed me around, yeah she don’t love me anymore,

And I know that for sure…”

Soon enough, the strumming is accompanied by a very catchy drum beat, which gives the overall sound a hopeful vibe - like ‘Grilled Cheese’ could be the answer to all the problems faced in the lyrics, although following the words closely it appears grilled cheese sandwiches might be just one small part of the relationship issues:

“My baby makes a grilled cheese,

She puts raw onion on it ‘cause she knows I don’t want it,

So I pick ‘em off then she gets mad at me,

She tells me I’m a control freak…”

As the song begins to reach its climax, Martha Hill’s vocals become more desperate and the instrumental is fuller and features heavier drums and a more frantic guitar riff; I absolutely love how fiery and passionate it sounds, with so many different layers coming together and forming something powerful.

Anyone who’s been in a similar position near the end of a breakup could relate to this song - the act of still trying to please and convince your partner not to leave but knowing that really you’re in denial about the inevitable. It’s upbeat and optimistic but has a thick sense of desperation laced into the lyrics and vocals, almost as though we’re listening into the bargaining stage of the grief of a breakup.

Overall, I adore this song - I can’t wait to hear the rest of the upcoming EP and I think BBC Introducing was absolutely correct when they referred to Martha Hill as ‘One to Watch’ for 2020. Her vocals are enchanting and the instrumentals to this song are super fun and summery, despite the sadness that the lyrics bring.