Mattiel Brown made a splashy debut with her self-titled 2017 album, which embraced a broad palette of vintage pop sounds while sounding thoroughly contemporary in its energy and Mattiel's bold vocal and lyrical approach. Her follow-up, 2018's Customer Copy, is a six-song EP that sounds leaner and scrappier in comparison, as if the shorter running time was meant to be indicative of a more efficient approach. However, Mattiel's virtues shine just as bright on Customer Copy as they did on her album; she's a strong vocalist whose instrument packs an authoritative punch that matches the sharp perspective of her lyrics, where she shares her thoughts on Williamsburg hipsters ("East Coast Swing"), aspiring celebrities ("Game Show"), and the harsh side of big city life ("Detroit Riot"), among other things. Randy Michael and Jonah Swilley, who produced and arranged Mattiel's debut, are back on board for this EP, and while these tunes put a greater emphasis on guitars and rock a bit harder than their earlier work with the singer, the sound is still evocative of '60s-style pop, and the warm analog tone of the production serves the music well, reinforcing the melodic hooks, the beefed-up guitars, and the intelligent sass of Mattiel's lyrics. Clocking in at just under 18 minutes, Customer Copy wastes no time and delivers with razor-sharp wit, good tunes, and powerhouse vocals from Mattiel; if her first album didn't convince you she's an artist to watch, this EP ought to do the trick. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

1		Baron's Sunday Best
2		East Coast Swing
3		Follow My Name
4		Game Show
5		Midwest Hotel
6		Detroit Riot