Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory

Jagjaguwar

Previously, Sharon Van Etten’s creative process has been a solo endeavour, but after six albums, the singer decided to switch it up a bit and invite her band into that space. The result? A record that showcases the good that can come out of challenging yourself.

Sprawling, powerful ballads that centre around what it means to be alive are what Van Etten does best and there’s no shortage of them on 'Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory'. ‘Live Forever’ opens the album with a gloomy synth melody that echoes the question of mortality that the singer raises in the lyrics, and ‘Afterlife’ feels oddly upbeat despite its equally heavy subject matter.

There seems to be a sense of freedom that has come with this new arrangement, too. ‘I Can’t Imagine (Why You Feel This Way)’ and ‘Southern Life (What It Must Be Like)’ were the product of a jam session with her band in the studio - a first for the singer and the fun the group had in the studio oozes out of both songs respectively.

Choosing to bring her band into the process is quite possibly one of the best decisions Van Etten could’ve made for this album; it’s a bold step that suggests even bigger, better things to come.