Head Of Roses

On her luminous and sometimes piercing sophomore LP, Jenn Wasner struggles through the overwhelming nature of heartbreak, coming to grips with the conflicting roles of both the breaker and the broken. Written in quarantine and recorded with a trusted cadre of collaborators, Head of Roses builds on the singer/songwriters growing canon of intimate yet approachable art-pop which she releases under the name Flock of Dimes. Ultimately more layered and complex than Wasners work as part of Wye Oak, Flock of Dimes material manages to express an acute vulnerability without becoming stuck in the quagmire of deflated confessionalism. As on her excellent 2016 debut, Wasner tackles painful subjects with a sense of wonder, as if shes marveling at the complexities of human nature rather than being crushed by them. The clamorous Price of Blue ripples with wild energy as, in between epic guitar solos, Wasner examines the ruins, singing and I can wander the wreck amazed and shivering. There is certainly sadness and regret in her lyrics, but on standouts like Two and Lightning, they drift across the landscape in cloudy mists of skittering percussion, sparsely picked guitar, and saxophone as if rootless. This meeting of poignancy and sonic uplight is one of Wasners personal hallmarks and a big part of what makes her music so effective. More transformative than dour, Head of Roses is a journey toward healing and marks another strong entry in Flock of Dimes growing catalog of work. ~ Timothy Monger

ボン・イヴェールとの活動歴もある男女デュオ、ワイ・オークのジェン・ワズナーによるソロ・プロジェクトが、4年半ぶりとなるセカンド・アルバムをサブ・ポップからリリース。デビュー作と同じく生演奏を中心に電子音を散りばめたメロディアスなフォーク/ロックを聴かせてくれるが、明らかに違うのは彼女のヴォーカル。よりエモーショナルかつ伸びやかになって、聴き手を癒すと言っても過言ではないほどの美しさです。
bounce (C)赤瀧洋二