Ghostwriter
Self-Released, 2025
9/10
A consistent figure in the D.C. music scene for a decade, this very personal album from Annie Stokes welcomes her husband, Will Berger and Austin Bello for the 8 Americana songs.
The quick pace of “Country Wife” opens with Stokes’ warm voice alongside Bello’s frisky drums via the energetic, roots rocker, and “Twice As High” follows with a pretty mood via the dreamy acoustic guitar and firm melodies.
Halfway through, “Belong Here” comes with a haziness that’s colorful and suits the soaring vocals, while “Twenty Three” offers an animated, country rocker that invites singing-along to the scrappy album highlight.
Close to the end, “Built To Last” is a calm moment of poetic, folk inspired songwriting, and “Open Secret” exits with pop nods amid the busy song craft that uses fiddle strategically.
The themes present revolve around gender dynamics, grief, belonging and permanence, and the tracks are all very well written and executed flawlessly. Certainly rooted in folk/Americana/country, there’s a universal appeal to Stokes’ vision, too.
Travels well with: Helene Cronin- Maybe New Mexico; Sarah Pierce- Blessed By The West