It is not always the case that we get to review a music album. We are making an exception for ‘Tramp’ by none other than the fabulously named Sharon Van Etten. The release date was on the 6th of February this year and the album was produced by Aaron Dessner under the label of Jagjaguwar. One of the interesting facts to come out of the publicity is the fact that the artist was originally encouraged by Kyp Malone to pursue her career in music. This decision appears to be a wise one when we consider the kind of album that has been produced.
This is not some cheesy music for the commercial scene alone. It rather speaks to New York residents with some level of emotionally attachment to culture. That is the scene where Sharon Van Etten created her craft and the overtones of its origins can be heard throughout the album. The artist was born in New Jersey and has been fixture with some fairly well known acts. These include The Antlers and The National. In 2009 the debut album “Because I was in Love” was released. By 2010 she had done something in the form of “Epic”. It is said that her inspiration was an abusive ex partner and we could already hear the pathos in the numbers. Apparently this mysterious partner used to break her instruments and tell her that she would never succeed in the music industry.
The lyrics are somehow familiar without falling into the trap of pastiche and clichés. We are particularly impressed by the ability to create trust in an environment that is full of anger. She tackles the technical demands of the songs well although we did not feel that she was being exercised particularly well. Sharon Van Etten is never going to be a belter that is known for a distinctive voice. Nevertheless she tackles her material well. During this review we felt that she was connecting with the themes. You do not feel as if someone has written the music for her. Rather you are convinced that she has lived the story and is merely reflecting on it. The voice can be intense but it is well controlled.
Our final verdict: Here is a musician that is improving her career instead of turning it into a caricature. The review found that Sharon Van Etten is doing wonderful things with “Tramp”. We are happy to give her 4.5 stars out of 5 depending on the scale that you are using.
