Written after she decided to get sober, Katie Crutchfield’s fifth album under the Waxahatchee band name is exposing and unflinching in its introspection — but the most special moments come when a sense of calm breaks through.
While she is persistent in her self-examination, never more so than on the confrontational War, Saint Cloud often exudes stability, which usually evades artists in the wake of such decisions. Gone is the noise of her previous efforts, in its place a renewed, fresher perspective, Americana sound and occasional country twang.
Her lyricism remains the main draw of her music (narrowly beating her vocals) and the stripped-back pianos and guitars ensure it stays centre stage. Her reflections on sobriety glide between pure poetry — “We will coalesce our heaven and hell / My eyes roll around like dice on the felt” — to frank declarations of contentment.
The folk-tinged Lilacs builds to an exhilarating chorus, the versatility of her voice undeniable as she repeats the final line “And the lilacs drank the water” and concludes on a blissful falsetto.
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