Jagjaguwar
Are We There the newest album by Sharon Van Etten is a remarkable glimpse into this singer-songwriter’s soul. With an intense emotional power in the lyrics backed up by an enveloping musical sound Van Etten really proves her musical prowess with this self-produced album.
Van Etten’s voice covers a broad range belting out words of love loss devotion and struggle. The entire album feels very intimate like someone is whispering her deepest secrets into your ear.
Alongside rich guitar and piano she uses lo-fi drum machines and omnichord giving her indie folk style a unique feel. Though each song commonly uses only two instruments on top of vocals the richness is incredible.
Sometimes the album drifts through a haunted house of unrequited dreams. Other songs feel like lonely walks in setting suns. The most moving song “Your Love is Killing Me” swells with amazing depths of emotional states — it’s certainly one to put on repeat.
Every song is so beautiful and different with a common thread of multifaceted love along with the enveloping sounds to keep the album cohesive — a treat for fans and new listeners alike.
