We haven’t seen her
since her third album Tramp in 2012, but Sharon Van Etten is
back with her stunning new record Are We There. The
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter is famed for her intimate vocals and
poignant lyricism, which won her unmatchable praise in Tramp,
and propelled her break-through into the industry. The Sunday Times
labelled the songstress’ third LP ‘one of the first indisputable
masterpieces of 2012’; Are We There will undoubtedly follow
this precedent.
Van Etten’s work
captures a beautiful vulnerability, a refreshingly honest
self-exposure which manages to stray from the edges of self-pity. Her
opening track ‘Afraid of Nothing’ captures this sentiment in one:
Etten lays bare her heart in a free-flowing stream of tender strings
and aching vocals. Tracks ‘Your Love Is Killing Me’ and ‘Break
Me’ share this moving combination. However, melancholy is
not the sole mood of the album. Alongside the shimmering ballads, Van
Etten delivers more upbeat and soulful melodies, namely ‘You Know
Me Well’ and ‘Nothing Will Change’. This variation nods to Van
Etten’s ever-changing style, a hint of quite how talented this lady
really is.
From sultry piano to
her acoustic guitar, Van Etten pretty much produced it all. Speaking
to NME about her new release, the artiste revealed her fear of
gaining popularity solely from collaboration with bigger acts, hence
her predominantly self-produced EP, assisted only by a helping hand
from music producer Stewart Lerman. The pair recorded the album in
New Jersey’s Hobo Sound Studios and New York’s Electric Lady
Studios. Van Etten’s self-assurance is part of her attraction: she
is a true artist and not driven by pure hunger for fame. Guests on
the album have been restricted to Van Etten’s friends only, and
include Torres’ Mackenzie Scott and Jana Hunter of indie-rock band
Lower Den.
Van Etten sings of
desire, loss, love, fear and of course, the self. With a plethora of
sounds and shapes, she sculpts her album with sheer heart-melting
honesty. Speaking about the sound of the album, she has commented ‘my
writing’s getting better and the arrangements are getting weirder,
in a good way’. When it comes to Sharon Van Etten, it is always a
good way.
Words - Claudia Turnbull
Are We There is
available from May 26th via Jagjaguwar.
Buy here
