Autonomy
Self-Released, 2020
9/10
The rising songstress Stephanie Lambring is back from a hiatus from music, and she’s determined to make a record on her own terms, the appropriately titled Autonomy. Often revealing very personal details around sexuality, religion, family and body image, the multi-instrumentalist pens thoughtful and often poetic tunes very much rooted in the human experience.
Lambring starts the listen strong with the infectious melodies, expressing singing and playful percussion of “Daddy’s Disappontment”, and the devastatingly titled “Pretty” follows with gorgeous and bare instrumentation amid timeless folk qualities as Lambring thinks back to some very difficult times in her childhood.
At the halfway point, “Joy Of Jesus” displays her versatile pipes in a lyrically tense setting of sublime beauty that targets the hypocrisy of religion, while “Fine” picks up the pace into breezy indie-rock that’s immediately memorable. A particularly great tune, “Somebody Else’s Dress”, then flows some roots flavor amid the slightly haunting climate that’s as creative as it is intimate.
Close to the end, “Save Me Tonight” injects some pop influences into the lush atmosphere, and “Birdsong Hollow” exits the listen with pure emotion and power in the sparse delivery of forthright song craft where acoustic guitar and keys interact together cautiously.
Lambring had a chance to become a country star years ago, but walked away from a pair of publishing deals so she could make music the way she wanted to. While it’s true that the subject matter here wouldn’t fit well on the FM dial, she clearly makes her mark with direct wordplay and a lovely voice and glowing melodies that more than solidify Lambring as some of the best young talent that exists today.
Travels well with: Brennen Leigh- Prairie Love Letter; Tessy Lou Williams- Tessy Lou Williams