It’s hard to know what you’re going to get, and there’s always the worry of getting more of the same, without the excitement and quality of the initial album release. But for Peters’ Good Witch (Gingerbread Man Records), the deluxe version holds some of the most powerful potions and pieces. On October 27th, Maisie Peters released 6 new tracks – the same day as Taylor Swift dropped her long-awaited 1989 (Taylor’s Version) re-recording. A brave move? A strategic move? The true mark of a trickster is pulling off both at once , and in the wake of Halloween no less. 

As her second full album, Good Witch doesn’t necessarily venture into unknown territory. It’s not a rebrand, second albums rarely are. It’s the more intense younger sister of her album “You Signed Up For This”. It has a clearer message. 

Maisie’s known for her 90s Teenage Dirtbag-esque sound, with lots of girlish angst shaken in there. Think Veronica from Heathers scribbling curses in her diary while wearing a monocle.  Her lyrics are very honest. Not in a raw, heart-wrenching way. In a simple, relatable way. Dedicated to the victims of the 21st century inflated male ego. 

Good Witch has a distinct take on girlhood. Maisie’s coven is not the ring of dark figures, singing ethereal incantations of anger in the woods that you might expect. The coven is just a crowd of young women.  Her songs, pure pop joy. She does not scream into the void, she dances in the revelry of kinship born from bad dating experiences. This album is a celebration of the togetherness that comes from girlish wrath. And we, the listener, are her most beloved little witchlings! 

“Holy Revival” and “Guy on a Horse” are simply ruthless. As the young princess of scream-talk, Peters gives her exes much needed reality checks, and doesn’t hold back. But neither song is about winning some argument over a particular ex-boyfriend, they’re about chanting with her fans about the lessons they’ve all had to learn.

“I bet you’re all wondering who Andrew is, and that is really not important, stay with me, it’s what he represents.” 

She’s having a world of fun being sneaky, twisted and patronising. Impressing us with her sarcastic quips, she opens “Guy on a Horse” with: “Cause I’ve played Wembley Stadium, like, is that hard?”. It’s all very Elle Woods: “What? Like it’s Hard?”. Anderfjärd’s production weaves a metallic quality in these songs, brightening Peters’ words. With light under her lyrics, Peters becomes a mistress of myth and anecdotes. 

“Yoko” and “The Last One” are her slower songs. They are caught in the epidemic that is crippling nostalgia at the ripe age of 23. And Maisie’s distinctive silvery timber sweeps over the storytelling ever so sweetly. At times these songs sound like you’re hearing them from a friend across the phone, but the phone is made of a beautiful alien precious metal.

If you’re listening in order, these last 6 tunes are sarcastic yet sugary continuation, with a just a little extra grit. Maisie can help you find magic and wizardry even as Halloween has faded. For her, it seems it is not in cauldrons and dark woods, but in unadulterated girliness and cheek.