Yes Kid concludes EP with “If I’m Honest”

It’s no secret that this pandemic has drained people’s spirits. For about a year, Yes Kid didn’t write a single note. “I felt like a dried-up well. No more inspiration, no more desire. And I was kind of resigned to it,” Yael Kaufman explains, adding, “I didn’t even feel sad about it, just resigned.”

After reassessing her relationship with music, Lighten Up was born, their newly released 3-track EP. Exploring the mental health journey from resignation to comeback, the EP opens with “Too Much Feeling (Not Enough Screaming)”, moves on to “Dead Wrong”, and concludes with the powerfully raw “If I’m Honest”.

That final track begins lackadaisically. But just over half a minute in, the world flips. “I’ve been doing the work, getting better now,” Yes Kid’s sweet tones ring. The guitars and percussion hammer away, creating a chaotic and emotionally fraught tension. It’s a sonically honest exploration of working on yourself.

But the real pièce de résistance comes in the final notes. The punk vibes and rocking chords subside for a quiet cadence. It’s in irresolute sign-off. Because “If I’m Honest” isn’t an answer, it’s a question. That moment captures the uncertainty Yes Kid weaves through the EP. The final musical word on the subject is a brutally honest “I hope” capping off the journey.

Stream “If I’m Honest” below.

Ben McCoy

Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.