Oh To Be That Free
Yep Roc, 2022
8/10
The Nashville singer-songwriter Michaela Anne returns with another batch of sweeping, rich and intimate songs that point towards country, folk, Americana and indie-rock.
“I’m Only Human” starts the listen with Anne’s fluid and expressive voice alongside a lush and dreamy climate of warmth and grace, and “Trees” follows with much emphasis on atmosphere, where hints of country enter the poetic beauty.
The title track lands in the middle, and it’s full of breezy acoustic guitar, cozy drumming and, of course, Anne’s pretty voice, while “Dirty Secrets” is a bit more firm, and allows for timeless folk qualities to enter the cautious yet soaring album highlight.
Close to the end, “Mountains And Mesas” enters darker areas of eloquent and emotive song craft that’s hazy in its absorbing delivery, and “It’s Just A Feeling” exits with a charming sparseness that allows Anne’s stirring voice to shine amid the bare musicianship.
A body of work that was penned after a bout of self-sabotage, Anne explores both reckoning and healing across these 11 well thought out tracks. Some life altering moments occurred during the recording process, including Anne having her first child and her mother suffering from a serious stroke, which gave the songs an entirely new meaning for her, and they resonate with a rare vulnerability for our appreciative ears.
Travels well with: Karen Jonas- Summer Songs; Lilly Hiatt- Walking Proof