We get the feeling Heidi Gluck’s been taking out the trash.

The last time we saw Gluck play, she performed solo, sitting on a stool, singing songs of heartbreak. She really didn’t perform too much in the community under her solo act. At times, she felt like a delicate flower you could only admire from a safe distance.

But what we saw on Friday evening on the Replay patio felt like a whole new experience. Gluck showed up with a full band and even recruited Narkalark’s Joseph Shoemaker and his exciting synth skills. Instead of sensitive little tunes, we’re hearing lyrics indicative of Gluck really giving someone the boot (and the business). “I don’t miss you, you only bring me down,” she declares triumphantly in her opening song. She had such a sense of confidence that we wanted to stand up and root for her with every challenging and non-submissive line.

Now, there are still traces of heartbreak in her recently released EP, The Only Girl In The Room. Her track “One Of Us Should Go” hangs heavy on the heart but is too beautiful and downright catchy to walk away from. With this recent release, rather than feeling sorry for Gluck you sympathize with her. You may even admire her for her resiliency for some of the baloney she’s had to go through (as is evident on the title track of the EP).

This is what it looks like when Stella gets her groove back.

Words and photos by Fally Afani