St. Vincent - Cheerleader

It’s about time I fessed up to it. I didn’t give this album nearly enough respect last year. I’m not sure why it didn’t click right away. After a couple of listens, it barely made the runners-up category in my favorite albums list of 2011. Things have changed. Recently it’s been one of my go-to albums, and I appreciate the emotion, creativity, and musicianship much more than I have in the past. Cheerleader is one of my favorites. The way the chorus punctuates the rest of the song is just fantastic, the verses flow with emotive sorting, and the instruments are masterfully utilized. Annie Clark is extremely skilled at using her guitar for the type of catharsis that is often difficult to articulate through lyrics. All of these elements create a song that is greater than the sum of its parts, while said parts are already outstanding. I can’t wait until they come around to Boston in September. I’ll absolutely be there.

Enjoy!

-Andrew

(Source: soundboard)