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The relentless pop-rock energy of Ava Della Pietra’s “talk it out” sparkles from the outset and never lets up. This Long Island singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist wrote the song about an assumed friend who jettisoned their loyalty without rhyme or reason and Ava portrays the fallout from that decision as well. It isn’t surprising that there’s an edge of anger cutting into listeners as they hear the song, but Ava juggles several emotions and it’s to her credit as a songwriting force that she’s capable of presenting with such a multi-faceted reaction. It’s one of the year’s most gripping pop confections and heralds Ava’s songwriting leveling up yet again in a relatively short career.
It starts off in a low-key fashion. Ava’s obviously intent on ratcheting up the intensity in increments rather than slamming listeners all at once. The gradual escalation of “talk it out” works astonishingly well considering the relatively short length of the song. Nothing feels or sounds cluttered. Ava develops the arrangement at a natural pace that checks off all the expected boxes and, by the time we hit the first chorus, “talk it out” achieves its full stride and carries us away with its energy.
The song’s music video does an excellent job of following this trajectory. Ava throws herself into the moment with the vigor of a live performance and manifests an assortment of emotions, anger, confidence, and incredulity, over the course of the video’s duration. The secondary performers used in the video clearly understand their role and match Ava’s energy move for move though never overshadow her presence.
Her vocals definitely have a presence. As she does for the video, Ava’s singing conjures a whirlwind of emotions through the song’s chorus, verses, and bridge. It’s an open-ended song as well, in a way, subject to a slightly different interpretation each time she tackles it. Her experience as a pop singer and Broadway performer serves her well throughout the number – she inhabits each line with authority and knows exactly how to modulate her approach.
There is a decided rock undercurrent in the song. It’s thanks in part to the presence of kinetic guitar work throughout the arrangement, the forceful drumming, and the track’s uptempo pace. The keyboards heard in the mix provide a lightening touch, though they maintain a strong presence as well. Electronic instrumentation is especially effective during the song’s bridge.
Ava adopts a traditional structure for “talk it out”. It’s impeccably timed, however, and the lockstep focus that she brings with her specific performance gives the song’s somewhat predictable turns an extra blast that freshens up what might otherwise sound like a by the numbers outing. Ava’s new single testifies to her ongoing growth as a singer, songwriter, and performer without ever once pandering to the lowest common denominator. She is gaining steam with each new release. “talk it out” is arguably her most vigorous single yet and points the way toward an increasingly brilliant future. Let’s follow her there and enjoy the ride.
Jennifer Munoz
