Whitney Duncan 'I'm the Fire' EP Review

After releasing her EP Heartbreaker early on in 2021, Whitney Duncan is back with a flaming sound in her six-track project I’m The Fire.

I’m The Fire opens with the heated and powerful title track that perfectly draws attention to the themes found in the project. The low guitar sounds heard at the beginning growl at listeners preparing them for what’s next. When Duncan’s voice makes an appearance, her vocals hang onto the end of each line with stunning vibrato. When the chorus drops in, the percussion picks up as does the anger in Duncan’s twangy sound.

She exclaims, “Oh I can't get burned if I'm the / Fire baby that you started / In a California drought / Fire that you always wanted / Fire that you can’t put out / You’re acting like a boy with matches / Standing over gasoline / After the black smoke passes you’ll learn not to play with me / ‘Cause I can’t get burned if I’m the fire.” Not only is the imagery strong and vividly portrayed through the metaphorical lyricism, but Duncan sets the project off with a hefty kick.

What follows is a soft acoustic track that positions itself as a very drastic switch-up from its predecessor. The emotion found in “Harder to Leave” is poised and well-conveyed with relatable lyrics that gain, feature picturesque visions listeners can imagine in their heads as Duncan takes them on her journey. She remarks, “It feels like chains wrapped around my feet / Keeping me down like down’s where I wanna be / Part of me wants to start all over / But I just can’t seem to break away / It gets harder to leave / The longer I stay.” The bridge on this song makes it stand out completely from the other tracks as Duncan’s vocals get desperate and extremely honest as she asks herself personal questions.

“Me, Myself, and the Highway” is another upbeat, electric-influences song. During the choruses, Duncan sings in a quick-witted nature as she recalls memories. It’s nostalgic and road-trip-ready. “Too Drunk to Drive” is a heavy track that includes another brilliant vocal moment for Duncan to shine as she showcases both sides of her range.

Another true and sincere moment in the collection is “Tomorrow Girl” where Duncan realizes the person she needs to put anyone else is her future self. This message is continuously relevant, especially for young women. “And this might be the one where you stay / But deep down I know you’ll never really change / That’s why I gotta walk away / ‘Cause I’m thinking ‘bout tomorrow girl / Sayin’ why’d you do it, girl?” The line that packs the punch and hits the message home comes toward the end of each chorus when she states, “I’m thinking ‘bout your boots walking out the door / Tonight I gotta choose who I’m looking out for.”

I’m the Fire is a rollercoaster of sensations as Duncan reveals layers of human emotion. On one end, it’s confident and on another it’s vulnerable.

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