Lucy Dacus - "Historian" (2018)

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm trying to get back to talking about older stuff on here, not just new releases, and this was one of my discoveries in 2023 that I really got into. As I've been exploring the rest of Lucy Dacus' and Julien Baker's discographies following the boygenius debut last year, this (Dacus' 2nd album) is the one that I have kept coming back to throughout the year. The record really leans into the rough and ready indie rock stylings that I thoroughly enjoyed from the boygenius album, as well as the raw and heart-on-sleeve lyricism that Dacus' brought to her songs on that project.

The absolutely phenomenal opener, Night Shift, demonstrates what the album is about perfectly. It is a slow burning break-up power ballad. The song starts off quiet and mournful, before progressing into a noisy, fuzzed out 90's alt rock second half where Dacus' vocals morph into something much more bitter and resentful. It is a really dramatic and powerful tune that showcases Lucy's talent as a songwriter and performer. This launches straight into the much more jaunty and jangly Addictions - with much more straightforward indie and chamber pop instrumentation. The song has such a vintage feel to it, focusing on the core sound and vibe without too many bells and whistles.

I think that's what makes this album tick for me. It's focused on being a collection of tight and well written indie rock and singer / songwriter tunes without any guise or image to deflect into. Lucy is earnest and open in the lyrics, there's no smarmy wit or deflective irony here. Nonbeliever tells the story of the rejection and confusion that comes with deciding you don't believe in God in small town America. Similarly to Night Shift, the track starts small and linearly progresses into the swells of strings and guitar. Yours & Mine has a chugging country rhythm section as Dacus despairs in the current state of the USA at the time, and how she doesn't feel like she belongs there anymore.

Timefighter is about coming to terms with the passing of time and the impermanence of life, where Lucy quite bluntly sings on the chorus "I fought time, it won in a landslide". The song is super bluesy and heavy, with a thick baseline and hazy vocals. The track is moody and menacing, and topped off with a rapturous guitar solo on the back end. Next of Kin returns to the jangly vintage indie from Addictions, and is super sweet with its tale of insecurity to being at peace with the world. The penultimate song, Pillar of Truth is a gorgeous ode to Lucy's grandmother, a slow burning Americana jam with twangy guitars and triumphant horns. The track slowly builds to an immense, joyous climax and captures the adoration Dacus feels towards her grandmother perfectly. The record closes out with the quiet and moody Historians. It's a decent enough 'quiet closer', but it feels a bit of a downer after Pillar of Truth and just the general uptempo and forward looking second half of the record.

Historians is a great, straightforward indie rock and singer / songwriter record. No pretence, just well written and emotive tunes that really effectively convey the stories they are describing in the lyrics.

Top Tracks: Night Shift, Addictions, Nonbeliever, Yours & Mine, Timefighter, Next of Kin, Pillar of Truth

8/10

Nothing But Thieves - "What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way?" (2018)

UK rock group Nothing But Thieves were quick to follow up their 2017 sophomore album, Broken Machine, with this 4 track EP written on the road touring that album; released just over a year later. While I enjoyed the promo single, Forever And Ever More, I pretty much forgot about the EP until it's release a few months later. I expected a bunch of pretty good tracks, just to hold fans over until the next full LP. What I got was a couple of the best tracks the band has ever recorded, with the other two being pretty great as well.

Forever And Ever More opens the EP with a crunchy guitar line and Conor Mason's characteristic falsetto vocals. The track deals with the bands usual themes of feeling emotionally trapped, embracing the worst impulses, but now with an added fun, vampiric twist. Gods starts off sounding straight out of Bends-era Radiohead, with the muddy acoustic guitar and Conor's dry, hoarse vocals. That is until the chorus hits and utterly explodes into one of the bands loudest cuts. The breakdown towards the end of this track is absolutely ferocious. After that You Know Me Too Well slows things down, sounding more akin to some of the slower moments from their debut. The rich production and Conor's gentle vocals create a sensual atmosphere which really draws you in. The final track, Take This Lonely Heart, is up there with the very best the band has created in my opinion. The loud, anthemic tune just builds and builds in intensity as Conor's souring vocals seethe so much raw emotion.

This EP is really great and has me even more exited for where the band goes next than Broken Machine did (I think that album is also pretty great). Its definitely their best produced and most consistent release yet.

Top Tracks: Forever And Ever More, Gods, You Know Me Too Well, Take This Lonely Heart

8/10