Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
Vulnerable at its best, the seventh studio album from Sharon Van Etten shows the artist from the darker side.
For over 15 years Sharon Van Etten has been performing and promoting herself as a solo artist. But after releasing her sixth studio album, We've Been Going About This All Wrong, something shifted: for her latest record, Van Etten invited her tour band not only for recording: she also let the musicians to take part in the production of the album, and also put the band's name next to her own. As a result, we’ve got one of the most musically versatile Sharon Van Etten records yet.
Who wants to live forever? – the singer wonders on the opening line of the album. This is a somewhat naive but still intriguing question that will be raised in one form or another on this record many times. Its hypnotic, pulsating instrumental keeps the listener in suspense and perfectly immerses him in the atmosphere of the record. On “Afterlife”, Van Etten reflects on her fan Ariel, who died of an incurable disease. Though the song exudes a bright, radio-friendly vibe, its lyrics are among the most harrowing and heart-wrenching moments of the album. Even in such a seemingly bleak situation, the singer somehow finds peace, revealing the wounds inflicted by this loss.
Sharon Van Etten's ability to craft deep, hauntingly beautiful lyrics has never faltered. Her masterful talent continues to shine on “Trouble,” a song inspired by a relationship with someone with whom you can never truly connect. The most difficult part of this union is that, no matter how much this person loves you, they will never truly know the real you, and vice versa. For some, this is a romantic mystery, for others, it's a war of attrition. It seems she addresses this person once more on the album's closing track, “I Want You Here”. At the end of the song, her wailing voice nearly breaks into sobs, as the track is steeped in the atmosphere of a lonely night's tragedy.
Yet lyricism is not the only thing that shines on the record. Thanks to Sharon’s bandmates, the album delivers a diverse sound, drawing inspiration from post-punk, post-rock, and new wave melodies. On “Somethin’ Ain’t Right”, Sharon Van Etten refers to Talking Heads’ cult classic Once In a Lifetime, while “Southern Life (What It Must Be Like)” sounds alluringly ominous. Here, Van Etten reflects on the past, present, and future, while her detached vocals echo like a haunting presence within the walls of an abandoned factory. While not everything on this album sounds perfect - some moments feel overly drawn out, and others could benefit from longer runtime - it ultimately feels like the soundtrack to a coming-of-age movie.
For an artist with such an extensive creative career, releasing an album like this serves as yet another delightful reminder of Sharon Van Etten's immense talent. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a stunning, at times heavy record, further proving why Van Etten is one of the greatest rock artists of modern times. If she was once a solitary romantic, now she found a wonderful company to continue the fight for life.
7.6/10
Released by Jagjaguwar Records.