Sharon Van Etten

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release
Soundclips

5...according to our Business Lady on Wed 01 Feb, 2012.

Don't recall hearing Sharon Van Etten's previous two LP's though I have packed quite a few copies so it's fair to assume she's a popular young lady. 'Tramp' is her first LP for Jagjaguwar and boasts The National's Aaron Dessner as producer and Zach Condon (Beirut), Julianna Barwick, Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak) as guest players. With or without these excellent contributions it's unlikely that Sharon Van Etten would ever make a bad record. Her voice is strong and ever so slightly husky and her songwriting hits on all the classics from Patti Smith to Cat Power to Low whilst eluding any direct comparison to any one artist...though she gets pretty darn close to PJ Harvey from time to time. 'Tramp' already sounds like a classic LP and I've only heard it twice. Heartfelt without being overwhelming or cheesy and jam-packed with solid tunes, 'Tramp' is likely to be one of Alt-Country's big-hitters this year. You should take a listen.

To play these clips you need to either update your browser (Norman Records recommends Google Chrome) or update your Flash plugin.

•   Sharon Van Etten’s new album (her third, but first for Jagjaguwar) is profoundly effortless and singular-minded.

• Borne from 14 months of scattered recording sessions whilst without a home, ‘Tramp’ is lush and triumphant, a fresh vision.

•   Leagues ahead of her first two releases, the album was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National and features performances from Zach Condon (Beirut), Julianna Barwick, Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak) and Dessner himself.

•   A beautiful album that moves from almost-early PJ Harvey dark guitar and drum defiant rock through to graceful, sublime, understated, declarative hymns.

• ‘Tramp’ is expected to be one of the most acclaimed and most loved records of 2012.

Brian Danteshogroast said:

Taken a while with this lady but now I think I'm finally getting her vision, I think it was the familiarity that put me off like she was aping a long widely admired muse but there's definitely the requisite magic here and her voice has got more velvety and rich since 'Etten', an album I must revisit damn soon. I've certainly much more faith in this than that damn Lana Del Rey woman....

Brian Danteshogroast said:

So, what do you think? Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!