As 2019 waned, local music mainstay and alt-rock singer-songwriter Parker Reed released his second solo EP, Music for the Overly Sentimental, a title perfectly befitting this sophomore release. Filled with loss and growth alike, the four-song EP is – in some sense – a musical representation of his perspectives and processes of relationships, mental health, and the world around him.

He explains the themes on MftOS as a sort of retrospective on the music he was writing after a close relationship soured. Reed sees his music as a way to organize through feelings and emotions in a way others may be able to relate to. “That Day” and “Lucid Dream” exhibit a sense of melodic sadness while still allowing Reed to show off his crooning abilities, all with extremely catchy refrains that contrast the melancholy beautifully. As Reed explained regarding the emotional polarity of this EP, “ Some of the cuts will pump you up and some will make you bummed because that’s where the inspiration came from.”

This EP represented more than just a therapy session via song for the 24-year-old artist though; it also served as a learning experience as Reed cleaned up his recording quality and sharpened his songwriting. Reed saw this as an opportunity to take what he has learned since he debuted solo in 2018 with A Promise (as well as his numerous collaborative efforts and comradery with local musicians) and brought it to the studio with a tried-and-true goal: growth. This introspection is something Parker seems intent on incorporating into his future musical endeavors.

Be sure to find Parker Reed on Soundcloud, Facebook, and YouTube to listen to MftOS. You can catch him live on March 5 at Decadent Cabaret and March 6 at Every Buddy’s Bar in Chippewa Falls.