Piece Comment

Review of The First Time I Left Home


This is a raw and powerful story, despite some flaws.

What hits me right away is the contrast between KC?s story and her voice. She talks about her extremely difficult life in a very high, sweet, matter-of fact tone. She sounds honest, young, and a little worn down. Some of her comments are surprising for their sarcasm. Of her mom, KC says: ?it didn?t help that she was on crack either.? Still in the same sweet voice.

Unlike Dmae, I didn?t have a problem with the telephone conversations. I think they highlight the distance between KC and her sisters.

The music is what gives this piece it?s ?dream-like? quality, as Dmae puts it. The song compliments the story well; the lyrics tell of life on the streets and a self-destructive cycle. I think it would sound great to end the story with some of those lyrics (only the instrumental part is in there now).

I did have some questions that went unanswered in the story: why was KC in jail? Why didn?t she go into foster care? Where was her dad? Since KUOW aired this as part of a special program we had time to research the answers (She was in jail several times, the last time for a drug offense; she did go to foster care but then her dad took custody; her dad was abusive and KC preferred to go to jail over living with him).

Like other youth radio stories, KC and Blunt would make stations lives easier by providing that information up front.