Sylvia Rose Novak’s “Want To Play” Finds Its Own Alt-Rock Voice

Sylvia Rose Novak - Want To Play Cover Art — **Sylvia Rose Novak – Want to Play Cover Art**

Listening to Sylvia Rose Novak, we found ourselves doing something we don’t often do: actively searching for a way to describe the vocals. We cycled through the usual mental thesaurus of descriptors without success. At one point, the closest comparison we could land on was “kinda like Alanis Morissette,” but that didn’t fully resolve it. In the end, “distinctive” feels like the most accurate word, and we mean it in the best way. After all, the way Novak’s vocals work with the music is what caught our attention on the recent single, “Want to Play.”

At the same time, there’s something quietly familiar at work, rooted less in the vocal delivery than in the song’s overall shape. A subtle touch of mid-90s alternative rock runs throughout, giving the track a sense of nostalgic recognition.

Novak operates less as a traditional singer-songwriter and more as a full band project. With Novak serving as bandleader, songwriter, producer, and instrumental anchor, her voice functions as one element within a larger, carefully constructed sound. Backing vocals and surrounding textures don’t smooth or soften the lead, but instead create contrast, making the steadiness of Novak’s voice more pronounced. That structure prioritizes lyrics and intent, allowing familiarity and distinctiveness to coexist.

The result is a song that feels grounded and deliberate. There’s a quiet confidence in the approach that recalls an earlier era of alternative rock without leaning on nostalgia. It’s a song that gets your attention and holds it on its own terms.

Listen to “Want to Play” by Sylvia Rose Novak:

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