25. March 2025
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Media Review

Sykamore – Pinto

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Sykamore - Pinto

Sykamore - Pinto
3.2

Rating

 3.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • In fact a really good album
  • Lovely voice, signature style

Flyctory.com Cons

  • ... but 10 out of 12 songs have already been released

After I loved the EP California King by Sykamore, I was really curious about the debut album by the Canadian country music artist. Pinto follows more than two years after the EP and has been released on 12th August 2022. Here is my review.

 

Sykamore – About The Artist

Jordan Ostrom, professionally known as Sykamore, is an Alberta country music artist, who is active since 2013. Apart from California King, she already released an EP in 2018, Self + Medicine.

 

Sykamore – Pinto – Track by Track

The twelve song album lasts 39 minutes. The album includes all five California King tracks. Together with three pre-album singles, this means that Pinto just includes two new songs.

1. Pinto

The album opens with the title track, which has not been released before the album. Damn, it remembers me falling in love with this lovely, gentle voice during the California King review. Really nice country-pop, which stays in you mind and makes you smile.

2. Just 4 July

The second album track was the last one which Sykamore released before the album. The pop element in here is definitely stronger than the country one. The chorus is a beautiful write, very fluent melody and a nice storytelling.

3. Dancing in the Dark

Dancing in the Dark has been another song of the Pinto promotion campaign. Again, I feel it is a lovely write. However, I feel that the song could emancipate a bit more from other tracks on the melodic side.

Don’t think too much about this, what it is or what it isn’t
We’re just kissing on the hood of a car
Pretend that all we have is tonight, just you and I
No, we ain’t looking for a line in the stars
We’re just dancing in the dark
Dancing in the dark

4. Cheap Thrills

The fourth song comes with a nice new touch. The groove of Cheap Thrills almost feels a bit of blues-ish at the beginning of the track. One of my most favorite listens on the album.

5. Out of Luck

Out of Luck is the first song you might already know from the California King EP. It also opens a block of four tracks already released in 2020 for that occasion. The slow track starts like a piano ballad, but finally as a dramatic crescendo. Beautiful way of presenting this aspect of Sykamore’s music.

6. Record High

This one was originally the opener of the 2020 Sykamore EP. I have to say that I feel that listening to it today even makes me smile a bit more than during my first Sykamore review.

7. California King

In April 2020, I loved this song. Sykamore is so gentle, almost fairy-alike in here. And 28 months later? This feeling just did not change. Apart from that I would rather love to listen to the song in a playlist than in a “new release”.

8. Where To Find Me

The eighth song is a nice, fluent listen. It feels a bit of hidden – even more in the context of Pinto than while listening to the five song California King collection.

9. Go Easy on Me

The ninth song is a nice song to me, but overall plays a rather subordinate role in this collection of songs. A touch of dream-pop in here, but other track simply come with a stronger profile.

10. Local Singles

No song illustrates the struggle I have with Pinto better than Local Singles: Is it a good song? Definitely! The issue with it is: I know it since two and a half years. It is like a good old friend. The vibe still works in summer 2022, though.

11. Stay Broke

Stay Broke has been a single release in February 2021. It has a nice touch, but similar like Go Easy on Me, it does not spread as much atmosphere and spirit as other Pinto recordings.

12. Wallflower

The album started with a new song, the album finished with this new track. Wallflower is a beautiful listen, which most of the time does not need more than Sykamore’s voice and her acoustic guitar. Lovely!

 

Sykamore – Pinto – Spotify

Here is Pinto on Spotify:

 

Sykamore – Pinto – My View

I am sorry. If you follow my blog for a longer period already, you will know these words somehow. I absolutely cannot stand it that music industry is complaining that people are not buying albums when they release collections like Pinto. This one is close to scam. 10 out of 12 songs already published is just far too much, even regarding that this one is a debut release. You have to say that the social media promotion is telling you that already. If you never ever heard of Sykamore before, this is a great choice. Most songs are really good. But if you want to support Sykamore by buying this “album”, better send her some funds directly.

 

Canadian Women Country on Flyctory.com

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