I’ve dedicated this week to covering albums that I’ve been meaning to talk about for a while but haven’t quite had the energy or motivation to try and give the coverage they deserve. First on the list is Saltbreakers the new record from Laura Veirs. I fell in love with her previous records about this time last year and have been waiting anxiously for another since then. And unlike some other bands who have let me down, she does not disappoint.
Saltbreakers delves far more into the realm of pop than her previous work, though the decline in feedback does not change the basic premise. Veirs has always dealt in music more elemental than social, and that remains true here. Nature remains the constant backdrop, with constant references to salt, water, waves, and the ocean (hence the title).
The clear standout track is “Don’t Lose Yourself.” If your only previous encounter with her is from her guest vocals on the Decemberists’ “Yankee Bayonet” this should be your introduction to her solo work. For someone familiar with her other work, this is the best example of how change can be for the better. It is one of her most lively songs, but just as beautiful as a “Magnetized” or a “Rapture” in its own way. It bubbles, dances on a quick drum loop and her voice is warm, rich, and tantalizing. It’s one of the best songs I’ve heard in a long time.
“Drink Deep” is another highlight, with a thick, waltzy tempo and yet another demonstration of the organic wonder that is her voice.
If the record has a weakness it’s in the second half, with a number of enjoyable but unremarkable tracks that perhaps veer a bit too far into the realm of pop (“Saltbreakers” being the primary example), a sad-girl-with-guitar song that never quite manages to find a hook (“Black Butterfly”), and a dabble in grungy rock that feels too forced (“Phantom Mountain”). Still, “Cast a Hook” is a real barn-burner (and a noticeable improvement over the already solid version heard previously on The Sound The Hare Heard), and “To the Country” is being justifiably praised for its Celtic influence and folksy feel.
I’m not prepared to call this her best album (the simple majesty of Year of Meteors remains the pinnacle, I think), it is nevertheless a strong step forward, a willingness to embrace change. It is no simple thing to make a record that departs from your past themes and style yet which is still indisputably your own. Laura Veirs has succeeded at this admirably, and if the record does have some weak moments, they are more than made up for by tracks like “Don’t Lose Yourself.”
A final thought: I continue to read people making Sufjan references (usually in the context of “Sufjan-lite” or some such thing), which seems to totally miss the mark. Sure, either of them could have written some of the other’s songs and they are both immensely talented, but the broader aesthetic is so different that the comparison seems too facile to be useful. In fact, I would really like to hear each one cover the other, just to see how the differences would play out.
And speaking of those making unhelpful Sufjan comparisons, apparently, Pitchfork slagged the record, which frankly just goes to give me more proof that I haven’t been missing much for basically ignoring them lately.
MP3s:
Don’t Lose Yourself (highest recommendation)
Cast a Hook