The Ohio-based singer-songwriter’s indie-inspired debut album Demonology pretty much serves as the venting session they would spew if provided the intensive therapist they desire on opening track “Exorcist.” On it, Carpenter tackles the effects of a religious, Midwestern upbringing, while rhyming “pagan” with “Carl Sagan,” expressing how they feel like a “corpse in training.” There’s even a love letter to Amy Jo Johnson, aka the pink Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, who triggered a queer awakening.
If you’re looking for a post-Christmas reminder that you’re not the only one who has struggled, Safety Harbor is the place to be.
This article appears in Dec 19-25, 2024.