REVIEW: Sesame Girl - Butterfly Wing In A Silver Locket
- Naomi Colliar Duff
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 20 hours ago
No creature is more tied to the idea of metamorphosis than the butterfly: they take the time to develop themselves and grow, and emerge into the world as symbols of beauty. Aussie indie rockers SESAME GIRL have done the same with this record. This is the band's third EP release, but it’s here they really find themselves. Stripped down to organics, with instrumental additions of banjo and acoustic guitar, they trade out their usual fuzzy sound for sentiment and soul, putting emotion at the forefront and wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
Wings of a Butterfly leads us in with a country-esque guitar strum, a simple rhythm, but one memorable and distinct. Heather Duncan serenades us with dreamy vocals and intensely-relatable lyrics; the band use the idea of a butterfly as a symbol for love: it can be beautiful, but also fragile and fleeting. Just as fast as love can arrive, so too can it leave as quickly. We need reassurance it won't fly away - you can't just say you'll be there forever, you need to prove it. It's a nostalgic track, and that might be down to the indie-film-soundtrack feel, or it might be that timeless message. Either way, it's a really strong track deserving of the opening slot.
Following up on that vulnerability is Kick in the Teeth, a track about those moments that make you feel unlovable, the times you feel like a secret to be kept because the person you love is ashamed to be seen with you. It's a tearjerker, Duncan leading into a chorus steeped in loneliness; “Picturing a kick in the teeth / Does it really hurt that much to love me?” There's a lot of this emotion poured into the EP, and it really feels like a cathartic outlet not just for the band but for the listeners. Thankfully it's not all sadness: following track Superstar is an ode to friendship, and supporting the people you love in all their endeavours. It has an incredible chorus, with some real shoegazey guitars and a groove-laden bassline from Josh Fogarty and Avril Ferguson respectively, while Blake Bashfield's rhythmic drumbeat keeps things going steady. It's very much a standout, and a defining track for the band.
Rubberband is more rock-infused; Bashfield's drums gain more prominence here, and serve to drive power into the textured instrumental. It's less chill indie, and almost grunge in nature - a welcome change that keeps the record feeling fresh. Despite the genre-fluidity of the EP, there's a cohesiveness in both sound and message that ties everything together neatly. This one is about friendship too; despite having those inevitable moments where the relationship hits rough patches, you can always bounce back (like a rubberband). Back to Texas trades out the coastal views of Wollongong for sprawling deserts, banjo twangs taking centre-stage as the track takes an alt-country approach. The slide guitar use adds some welcome dynamism to the mix, keeping a soulful energy surging through the track until its final strums and whispery vocals fade out.
Closer Prettiest Girl in the World is another emotional track. Deeply personal and relatable, this is one for those of us with low self-esteem. Those who only feel pretty in the dark, away from reflections. In her soft-sung way, Duncan admits there's a problem, but recognises there's no immediate solution but to close your eyes and banish the thought. There's a wistfulness to it, but as the track progresses to a dreamy nature, the vocalist sings “I can let you love me” and maybe that's enough for now. Just baby steps in the healing journey, but butterflies don't emerge from their cocoons after a single day.
Butterfly Wing In A Silver Locket is SESAME GIRL at their best so far. Steeped in incredibly-relatable sentiments, laced with nostalgic and memorable melodies, this is an EP that doesn't hide behind layers of instrumentation, and bares it all emotionally. If there was a record to keep close by, framed inside a locket around your neck for when you need cathartic listening, this would be it.
Score: 9/10
Butterfly Wing In A Silver Locket will be released on 7th July 2026 via Cohort Records.
Words: Naomi Colliar Duff
Photos: Liam Jordan
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