Hole in My Head

Laura Jane Grace rushed out Stay Alive in the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, dumping out all her anger and anxiety in an album that lasted little under a half-hour. Delivered three years later, Hole in My Head isnt quite so urgent, yet it feels of a piece with its predecessor, coming from a similar place of confusion: Grace is still sorting through the detritus of a tumultuous time. There are profound thematic and musical differences with Hole in My Head, though, reflecting how Grace is no longer wallowing in the murk of the early days of COVID; humor and empathy are resurfacing in her music. Playing the lions share of instruments -- shes responsible for all the guitars and drums -- Grace is supported by Matt Patton of the Drive-By Truckers, who provides bass and backing vocals throughout. Working off another voice emphasizes the ramshackle heart beating within Graces songs, teasing out both the folk and old-time rock & roll -- "Im Not a Cop" boogies like Chuck Berry, patron saint of Graces new hometown, St. Louis -- and allowing for moments of open-hearted testifying, like "Dysphoria Hoodie" and "Keep Your Wheels Straight." Both of these numbers flirt with campfire folk, but this isnt an acoustic album: its a lean, nervy rock album that uses its mess and its contradictions to its own advantage. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine