Named after the creek in Alabama where Kate Crutchfield spent her formative years, Waxahatchee evolved from Kate’s initial solo acoustic bedroom alter ego into a full band concern, the autobiographical ‘Saint Cloud’ comprising Waxahatchee’s fifth release and third on Merge records.
Recorded during Crutchfield’s recent stint clambering onto the wagon, ‘Saint Cloud’ seems to bring with it more of the sounds of her deep south roots, albeit with her customary contemporary twist. Enlisting the services of former Bon Iver producer Brad Cook at the controls, he’s helped Crutchfield hone emotional yet arguably gentler musings than previous efforts, perhaps symbolic of Kate finally stepping off her familiar Philadelphia rollercoaster, taking stock of what’s around her, kicking back and enjoying life in a slower lane for once.
Recorded during Crutchfield’s recent stint clambering onto the wagon, ‘Saint Cloud’ seems to bring with it more of the sounds of her deep south roots, albeit with her customary contemporary twist. Enlisting the services of former Bon Iver producer Brad Cook at the controls, he’s helped Crutchfield hone emotional yet arguably gentler musings than previous efforts, perhaps symbolic of Kate finally stepping off her familiar Philadelphia rollercoaster, taking stock of what’s around her, kicking back and enjoying life in a slower lane for once.
The languid grooves of lead off single ‘Fire’ as well as album opener ‘Oxbow’ conceal a more pastoral underbelly within ‘Saint Cloud’, the gentle country pop contentment of ‘Can’t Do Much’ a case in point, borrowing rather heavily from Hurray From The Riff Raff’s ‘Living in the City’ and proving similarly disarming.
‘Lilacs’ is Crutchfield’s Dolly moment, part bar-room shuffle vying with Rhodes piano, setting the tone for the remainder of downbeat tunes with lyrically dense stories painting a series of intriguing pictures, Crutchfield mixing defiance with tinges of vulnerability, whilst remaining positively loquacious throughout.
‘Witches’ sounds like James’s ‘Laid’ transported 4,000 miles southwest whilst the sparse desperation of closing title track, presents a distant (presumably) dusty piano, the vehicle for Crutchfield laying herself bare in her grand finale.
Waxahatchee were due to start a 30-date North American tour in April with Bobby Colombo and Bill Lennox, both appearing on ‘Saint Cloud’, also roped into Crutchfield’s new look touring band. Alas those dates now look wildly optimistic, almost certainly rescheduled, hence we may not see them over here for quite some time.
Words - Mike Price
Saint Cloud tracklisting;
1. Oxbow
2. Can't Do Much
3. Fire
4. Lilacs
5. The Eye
6. Hell
7. Witches
8. War
9. Arkadelphia
10. Ruby Falls
11. St. Cloud
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