Abby Hoffer's "Come Back" Is a Lyrical Gut-Punch of Heartache

Abby Hoffer, an indie singer/songwriter currently studying at Drexel University, released her debut single “Come Back” at the end of 2019. Since starting out her career playing bedroom covers and penning lyrics for herself, she took the leap last year and signed with Bad Cat Management, based in Philadelphia, and has recorded with Jake Naroden. She was also recently featured in POSITIVE PUBLICITY.

Though just emerging into her 20s, this song manages to show two sides to the end of a relationship: the mature, “it is what it is” side, and the blatant “fuck all exes” side. I think that makes things pretty interesting. I was tempted to title this writeup something along the lines of a “poetic diss track.” Her nostalgic, “I was kind to you, I was good to you” lines are immediately coupled with sudden gripping, almost bluesy “I can buy myself my own t-shirts, I don’t need your scent on my skin” statements. The ambidexterity within her lyricism is what keeps this song grounded firmly outside of the cliche breakup-song box. Though she’s clearly comfortable in the indie genre, her voice holds some unlocked blues and r&b potential that I’d love to see her explore in future releases. It would be a very Amy-like step for her career.

Though the recorded track swirls in and out of a synthetic backing track and gentle, understated drum beats, a newly released acoustic version of the song keeps things simple with an acoustic guitar and one vocal track, bringing Hoffer back to her roots. Her alto tone isn’t something to be overlooked - she easily shifts between her lower and higher registers without sounding forced. Though the guitar work is delicate, her voice is pointedly not, and the juxtaposition plays out in her favor.

I’m excited to see what else Hoffer has to offer. She’s clearly more than just a young singer/songwriter. She’s a raw lyricist with a voice that has the potential to be quite forceful. For a debut single, this one stands out in recent solo releases as something more than what it markets itself to be.