Relationships, it's what makes us human. I'm not surprised that it's Angel Olsen who's making an album rooted in so many different dimensions of love this autumn. We already knew that she's completely unfiltered in her lyrics and singing, and that she can stir up the most hellish emotions. On the new album, she starts with the synth driven and chilly "Internal", which in many ways is an entirely new expression for Angel Olsen. The music is clearly inspired by Suicide and the text is an effectively formulated story of blind, stubborn love.
Then it goes on immediately with a simple guitar and a crunchy groove in "Never Be Mine"; girl-pop-noir of the finest brand. In the oh so beautiful folk ballad "Heart Shaped Face", where Angel Olsen sings like a young Lucinda Wiliams, she talks about how we set ourselves up when we repeatedly ensnare ourselves in the same bad habits and chaotic patterns. One of her strongest songs so far. It's slow - she takes her time and pokes where it hurts the most, while the music at the same time soothes. A feat.
Angel Olsen has the kind of talent that makes almost everything sound obvious. She juggles her wide knowledge of the history of music and the sometimes quite messy expression with impressive lightness and sensitivity, even though the music often is quite demanding.
She's almost thirty years old and has nearly ten years as a prolific artist behind her, including a fine collaboration with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. But this is probably still the album where she has seriously found herself. Some songs are simple rock tunes, and others are more experimental, like the long and epic Dylanesque song "Sister". You can clearly hear that Olsen grew up on a diet including The Everly Brothers. "Not Gonna Kill You" is driven on a hefty dose of the Velvet Underground, and certainly Olsen's voice resembles Hope Sandoval's magical and cool chanting.
It's at times brilliant, and yet you feel that she is just at the beginning of something.
The album contains ten songs and ends with the piano tune "Pops". What remains, besides my tearful eyes, is a kind of a crooner voice that sounds like she's done fighting and all that is left is an exhausted surrender and tenderness.
"I'm not playing anymore ... I'll be the thing that lives in a dream when it's gone", she sings as the piano fades away.
