Adrianne Lenker - songs ALBUM REVIEW

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As I’ve stated before, I’ve been wanting to get more into folk and singer-songwriter music. After hearing the music of Big Thief because of a friend, I was hooked to the band. Last week, their vocalist Adrianne Lenker dropped a duo of solo albums titled songs and instrumentals. Today, I’ll be focusing on songs, a release that wasn’t really on my radar until I saw the reviews for it. Plus, 4AD Records is a pretty good label, so it was definitely worth a listen anyway. Alright, that’s a small intro, but let’s get right into songs.

songs is an alternative album with folk, singer-songwriter, and ambient undertones. Now, if you’re expecting a singer-songwriter album with lush production akin to Taylor Swift’s folklore, you’re wrong. Most of the record is just Lenker’s voice, a guitar, and the occasional sounds of nature. Lenker’s voice is quiet and reserved, but somehow emotional and powerful at the same time. It’s like taking a bite into something sweet, but it’s actually sour. Another good way to explain the instrumentation on songs is like taking a trip to an isolated cabin in the woods for a weekend. Yes, you’re alone for one of the first times in a long time, but you feel comfortable around the thriving wildlife, away from all the chaos in the world today. This also has an impact on Lenker’s lyrics. Grief and emptiness are best showcased on “zombie girl,” the album’s prettiest song, ironically. “heavy focus,” which is my favorite track here, talks about a range of topics like love and fading memories, but Lenker’s performance on this track alone has cemented “heavy focus” as quite possibly one of my favorite tracks this year. It’s one of those songs that you have to hear to believe, it’s beautiful.

While I don’t think it’s all perfect, songs is one of my favorite folk albums this year. Adrianne Lenker’s voice is so unique, and it feels so true to itself. While touching on dark topics like death and isolation, it’s conversely one of the prettiest albums this year. All of these elements come together for a spellbinding experience.


7/10


Stream songs here

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