Anna Haverstock’s New Single 'Lungs' Showcases Emotional Clarity Amid DIY Edges

by Scott Roos

photo courtesy of Anna Haverstock

Our Grade: B-

Anna Haverstock’s latest single, entitled "Lungs", explores the emotional strain of miscommunication - the kind of recurring conversational breakdowns that leave people feeling unheard despite their best intentions. Written and performed by Haverstock, produced by Aspen Beveridge, and supported by background vocals from Jill Haverstock, the track is rooted in personal expression and an earnest desire to connect, even when connection feels out of reach.

Haverstock’s vocal performance remains the centerpiece. There’s a warm, distinctive timbre to her voice - sometimes even reminiscent of a female version of Hootie and the Blowfish frontman, turned country music superstar, Darius Rucker, in the way she phrases lines with an easy, conversational smoothness. She lands emotional nuance not with vocal theatrics but with subtle, lived-in inflection.

Melodically, the song is strong. The harmonies are well-placed, the hook is memorable, and the 90s-leaning singer-songwriter sensibility feels unpretentious. Where the single feels less fully realized is in its arrangement, which ultimately affects how the track lands sonically. The central riff is quite sparse, and the surrounding instrumental layers don’t quite fill the space it creates. Haverstock plays everything on the recording - a testament to her DIY creativity- but it also means the arrangement never fully blossoms into the richer, more dimensional sound that her voice could easily sit atop.

This bleeds into the mix as well. While not poorly executed, the mix does feel a bit muddy, particularly in the low-mid range where the instruments tend to blur together. It’s subtle, but it slightly dulls the clarity of the performance and contributes to the sense of the track sounding more “homegrown” than fully polished. It’s not so much a flaw as an indication that the song could benefit from either a broader instrumental palette to give the mix something sharper to sculpt around.

Despite these shortcomings, the single highlights Haverstock’s genuine strengths: an expressive vocal identity, solid melodic instincts, and a clear artistic voice. With a more developed instrumental framework and a cleaner mix, future releases have the potential to elevate her songwriting into something truly standout.