Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco + I'd Like 2 Go Home Now

After the release of 2018's Take Me to the Disco, Meg Myers' fans waited patiently for her next album, and when they finally got it, it arrived in an unusual fashion. At one point, Myers was said to be working on an album built in part around outtakes from the Take Me to the Disco sessions. That project saw the light of day in the form of a pair of EPs; Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco and I'd Like 2 Go Home Now each featured five new songs, and both arrived on the same day in November 2020. A month later, the two EPs were given a physical release on CD as Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco + I'd Like 2 Go Home Now, and this edition ultimately makes sense. The two releases have a very similar sound and feel that builds on the dark, emotionally intense framework of Take Me to the Disco, beginning with pop production and songwriting tropes and tweaking the settings until they can bear the weight of Myers' forceful songs of passion and betrayal. Coming after Myers' 2019 cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill," these performances make it all the easier to recognize how deep Bush's influence runs in Myers' phrasing; however, while Myers certainly possesses a level of commitment that matches Bush (no small statement), her songs and delivery swap Bush's sense of wonder in favor of an edgy tone that reflects a difficult life in the real world. The bold production, filled with boomy percussion and layers of keyboards and guitar that merge ethereal atmosphere with blunt force, is a good match for the stylized urgency of Myers' lyrics, and here she strikes a compelling balance between listener-friendly polish and uncompromised emotion. Though both EPs are strong enough to stand on their own, they cohere into a short (34 minutes) but satisfying album on Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco + I'd Like 2 Go Home Now. Myers was possibly planning something different for her next proper album, resulting in this stopgap release, but it shows she has ideas and power enough to last her until she is ready with her next major statement. ~ Mark Deming