SHARON VAN ETTON: EPIC

[rating: 4]

Sharon Van Etton: Epic

Label: Ba Da Bing

Release date: September 21, 2010

The opening track of Sharon Van Etton’s sophomore album Epic sets the tone of the album by being quite literally, epic.  As she pushes through the song, the listener realizes that she is her own hero, protecting herself from the naked emotions of a broken heart.  With each breath, she is both asking and telling herself “never love like that again.”  Her lyrics, while generally uncomplicated, have a subtle power to both ask and tell, and to be firmly resolute.  The record poses a series of introspective questions that are directed at herself, not the listener.  The record isn’t telling a story, but instead, expressing the feelings that humans have that make us insecure.  Her bare and direct confrontation of these feelings is unsettling and beautiful.

Her lyrics and smoker’s voice are the driving force behind the album.  There are definite influences of country music from her years in Tennessee, especially on “One Day” and “Save Yourself” but they don’t define her sound.  Her voice has a strong character to it that shines over country guitar or the synth pop sounds of “DsharpG” and “Love More”.  “Don’t Do It” is strongly reminiscent of The Cranberries, both vocally/lyrically and instrumentally.   Although the album is a relatively short seven tracks, there are a lot of different musical styles and influences.  While it does feel a bit disjointed, her strong lyrics and emotional delivery seem to bind the album together.

There is no way to decide if a singer with a simple backing is going to be uneventful.  Sometimes you’ll get a beautifully spare record like Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago. Other times you’ll hear a completely forgettable album, that was good, but nothing special.  On that spectrum, I think Epic is far into the Bon Iver region.  I find myself humming parts of it, and dialing my iPod to it more than I expected for a female folk singer.  There’s something raw, open, and honest about Epic that makes it noteworthy and memorable.

-Rachel Covert