Public release party is this Saturday at Elaine’s in Cape May
See related story about this local singer/songwriter here.
CAPE MAY — Maddie Hogan doesn’t pull punches when she’s writing her songs, whether about an alcoholic’s inability to change or catching a supposed boyfriend in his lies.
Hogan, who lives on Sunset Boulevard in West Cape May, is having a public release party Saturday night at Elaine’s in Cape May to debut her second single, “Heart Bruises.” She will be performing that and her first single, “Wrong Guy,” which debuted in October, but more about the party later.
Hogan, a singer/songwriter, writes about relatable topics. Actually, the way she sort of “debuted” one of her songs should be a song in and of itself.
“‘Heart Bruises’ is an upbeat pop-rock song,” Hogan said. “It basically depicts the unfortunate, much-too-common cycle of how alcoholism affects, impacts and destroys everyday relationships.”
She clarifies that it’s not a “happy” song, “but it is upbeat and gets your toes tapping. The message behind it really hits home. I think a lot of people can relate to the subject.”
Hogan said she does not hide her feelings.
“I’m an open book. I have a lot of friends and family members who have struggled with addiction and how it is so repetitive, and no one ever changes,” she said.
In the song, she writes from the alcoholic’s perspective, conversing with the significant other “who is tired of it. It’s the same (stuff), different day.”
The person singing is basically admitting the problem.
“I’m telling the story in the first person that I know I have a problem, I know I have to stop, please don’t leave me,” she said. “It’s a pathetic, apologetic song. It’s out of desperation.”
Speaking truths is important to Hogan.
“I think that people are drawn to artists and musicians that are not afraid, who don’t hold back and give the real story,” she said. “When it comes to the topic I’m covering on ‘Heart Bruises,’ about drinking too much and partying all the time, I think a lot of people will appreciate it.”
“Wrong Guy”
Her first single, “Wrong Guy,” debuted Oct. 17. The story behind the song is as interesting as the song itself.
“It is a song I wrote from a personal experience. I wrote it before I met my husband, thank God,” she said, laughing.
She was dating someone casually, not for too long, but thought they were “on the road to exclusivity,” then she learned the guy had a girlfriend.
“I come to find out through his best friend, who slipped one night, and mentioned his girlfriend. I was, ‘Wait, what? You mean ex-girlfriend?’ He immediately shut down and wouldn’t say anything more. I said, ‘You just gave it away. You’re a great friend. Not.’”
That sparked her writing juices then and there.
She went home, wrote the song and then debuted it for the unsuspecting guy.
“I go home and write this song and show up at the person’s house I was dating. We’ll call him Todd. I’ll spare him the embarrassment. I went to over to Todd’s house and said, ‘I just wrote this awesome song. Do you want to hear it?’
He said ‘yeah.’ I pulled out my guitar and started playing it. It’s basically me saying I know exactly what you’re doing. I know what’s going on. I talked to your girlfriend and you’re still feeding her lies.
“Meanwhile I’m the other woman and I had no idea.”
When she sang it to him, his face dropped, she said.
“He looked like he saw a ghost and the first thing that came out of his mouth was, ‘Who did you talk to?’ I said, ‘I’ll see myself out.’ And that was the last time I saw him or talked to him.”
“I like to say I Taylor Swift-ed him,” she said, laughing.
The song, she said, is catchy and right on point about what the guy was doing to both her and to his girlfriend. (The lyrics include how he was feeding them both “sweet little lies.”)
Hogan wants to do an album, but she’s planning that as she goes.
After this weekend’s release of “Heart Bruises,” she plans to go into the studio to record her next single. Her problem is that she has more than 50 songs written and has to narrow down which one to record next.
“It’s pretty hard. I want to choose the right one to keep the audience engaged in my music and not become bored with me. I don’t think I’m ready to release a ballad yet, a slow song. I can assure you my third single is going to be another upbeat song.”
Release party
There is no cover charge for the release party from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at Elaine’s, 513 Lafayette St. in Cape May, which will feature her music and that of Jon Katity, of “Behind the Beautiful.” There will be official merchandise, a raffle, drink specials and more.
Between sets, Mike Edwards, a comedian and caricature artist, will be performing.
“It will be unlike any event you’ve been to,” Hogan assured.
Hogan’s songs are available on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon Music.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff