Maddy Carty – Blame Game (2025)
With a reputation for fearless lyricism packed into soulful melodies, singer-songwriter Maddy Carty eagerly delves into the grittier areas of life while still holding audiences in the palm of her hand. Willing to dissect sociopolitical arenas and existential issues, the UK-based artist could be considered provocative, but there is humanity and camaraderie in her music that doesn’t dampen the narrative; rather, it enhances its significance without losing power or leading to discomfort. The latest addition to her discography is the single, ‘Blame Game’.
Following her well-received songs ‘Old Hands’ and ‘Dark Circles’, Carty releases ‘Blame Game’ – the fifth track off her upcoming EP, Otherhood. The new EP explores themes of “…identity, belonging, and resilience in an ever-changing world”, and ‘Blame Game’ taps into the theme of responsibility, strength, and reflective insight into an uncertain reality. Carty explains:
“We are increasingly living in a time where people are encouraged to blame each other instead of looking at the bigger systems at play. We can see from the recent rise of the far right and fascism how dangerous these divisive rhetorics can be. I wanted to write something that shines a light on that and reminds us that we’re more connected than we’re led to believe, that there is hope.”
Lyrically, ‘Blame Game’ is a poignant and profound song nodding its head at, well, the disillusionment of society and how “blaming others” defies the more significant issue of holding the bigger systems accountable. Melodically, Carty captures the spirit of this concept with a rush of old-school soul music. Produced with Alex Bayly, the melody is soothing and mellifluous, binding bold drums with a soaring guitar and shimmering piano. The thing is, as much as ‘Blame Game’ is rhythmic with groovy vibes, Carty’s vocals simultaneously warm your heart and shake you slightly with its punchy execution of powerful lyrics.
For me, the song is soothing, but it is also a kick in the rear to pay attention to greater problems and damaging rhetoric; a powerful combination that can turn heads without a flashing whip or slap. Personally, I love it and am eager to hear more from Maddy Carty.
Find out more about Maddy Carty on her official website, Facebook, X, Instagram, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more soul music on The Other Side Reviews Soul playlist:
