Lethia’s Natorium is the brainchild of Pena Hughes-John, a talented singer-songwriter known for her eclectic nature. Those familiar with her folk-oriented work (along with her ubiquitous ukulele) may be shocked to hear she went in more of a rock-oriented direction… but it definitely fits like a glove.
“Sorry No Longer Cuts It” opens with a hauntingly eerie wordless harmony with a bit of guitar strumming, and carries into the first verse where you might be fooled for a minute thinking this is a ballad. Forty seconds in, though, the song’s true nature comes through…what we have here is emotional catharsis at its very core. Those of us who have been in a toxic relationship know exactly how it feels when you reach your limit, and Pena absolutely *nailed* it.
Musically, what we have here is a track with shifting dynamics that takes the listener on an aural journey that perfectly fits the ebb and flow of a toxic relationship. This vibe leads a greater weight to Pena’s vocals, which carry a sort of delicate aggression (or aggressive delicacy, perhaps) which gives the lyrics a far greater gravitas than would be possible in a lesser artist.
With songs like this, Pena Hughes-John has an incredibly bright future. If you enjoy music that is (pardon the pun) a cut above, take a listen, but be forewarned…Pena’s potent sincerity here cuts like a knife.
Listen to "Sorry No Longer Cuts It" on Spotify here:
You can check out Lethia’s Natorium’s website here: