(Jagjagwuar)
Brooklyn
singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten has gathered a dedicated following
with her delicate and personal music since emerging with her debut
album Because I Was In Love in 2009. Winning the
adoration of fans, including musicians Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio
and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and reaching a larger audience with
2012's break through Tramp, which saw her
opening for acts like Nick Cave and St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten
Returns with her fourth album Are We There and
seems set to keep building upon her successes as she continues to
refine her confessional style of songwriting.
Like the title and
picture on the Are We There's cover, the album
evokes a road trip with close friends, with plenty of space for laid
back contemplation where daydreams and past mistakes find their way
into the mind as you gaze out of windows. And like a journey, you
move forward, whilst having space to reflect. In that respect this
might be Sharon Van Etten's most personal and honest album yet, and
that is from an artist who has already gained a reputation for her
intimate song craft, taking a step back from the larger sound of
Tramp, produced by Aaron Dessner of The
National.
Her albums have always
brought together a host of talented musicians. This time she has
gathered Torres' Mackenzie Scott, Peter Borderick, Shearwater's
Jonathan Meiburg as well as borrowing Dave Hartley and Adam
Granduciel from The War on Drugs to make up her band. After meeting
putting together music for the HBO show Boardwalk
Empire, Etten brought in Stewart Lerman to co-produce the
album with his natural and unfussy style giving lots of space for
Etten's voice to lead.
Taking Chances brings
in The War On Drugs penchant for drum machines but it's Etten's voice
and use of harmony that is the real strong point here. It allows here
to have a depth and delivery that is all her own and it really helps
that the song provides one of the albums best choruses with scuffled
up guitars and keys adding some bite to the otherwise laid back beat.
The stark and violent imagery of Your Love is Killing Me makes for
one of Etten's most powerful songs to date. The lyrics 'Burn
my skin so I can't feel you/Stab my eyes so I can't see' conjure suffering as her voice is outright defiant with drum rolls
and soaring guitars backing her to an effect that feels emotionally
cathartic.
Our Love, which follows
Your Love is Killing Me, sounds a bit too light and breezy, just
drifting by never really leaving it's mark. I Love You But I'm Lost
leads with a piano and the kind of soul searching themes that Etten
can make feel so relatable and Tarifa, named after a small Spanish
town, continues to conjure up the ideas of isolation and
introspection but backed by shining horns it feels bigger and
brighter turn. Near the end of the album Break Me stands out with
it's 6/4 drum rhythm and chiming Robin Guthrie guitars give it a
dream pop feel that really complements Etten's layered vocals. Are We There closes with the sun-kissed
americana of Every Time The Sun Comes Up, ending the album on a
lighter note with it's lyrics bringing to mind youthful abandon as it
sounds like all the albums collaborators join in on the chorus of
'Every time the sun comes up I'm in trouble'.
On Are We
There, Etten is thoughtful and hopeful, introspective and
confident. At times it feels so personal she is opening herself
completely to the listener and musically she matches it with her most
focused songwriting. At points the deeply personal lyrics make it
feel like it's just you that she has chosen to share and confide in.
Whilst it doesn't reach the same big high points as Tramp, Are We There still makes for an engrossing
journey with one of the best singer songwriters around right now.
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