Waxahatchee - American Weekend '2012

Tracks list

Tracklist

01. Catfish
02. Grass Stain
03. Rose, 1956
04. American Weekend
05. Michel
06. Be Good
07. Luminary Blake
08. Magic City Wholesale
09. Bathtub
10. I Think I Love You
11. Noccalula

In the midst of a blizzard in Alabama, Katie Crutchfield - formerly of indie pop
band P.S. Eliot - penned songs for her debut solo album American Weekend, which
was released under the moniker Waxahatchee. The making of the lo fi indie affair
has echoes of Bon Iver's secluded, cathartic cabin recording that resulted in
For Emma, Forever Ago. Here Crutchfield sheltered herself in a house at nearby
namesake Waxahatchee Creek, and surrounded by snow, she laid down a collection
of tracks whose stories had taken root in the previous months. The emotional
fragility that takes hold of the record is the result of acute heartbreak and
the dissolution of her teenage dream as P.S. Eliot wound down -- all of which
culminated in the songs here. The level of intimacy that Crutchfield reveals to
the listener here is at times overwhelming and not just because she is divulging
such personal admissions, but because they are so easily relatable. Armed with
an acoustic guitar, this album is a raw introduction to both the captivating
melodies and hammering lyrics which Crutchfield is capable. Songs "Grass Stain"
and "Be Good" exude her own insecurities and are littered in self-depreciation,
but they do not go so far as to be self-indulgent, thanks in many ways to
Crutchfield's effortlessly simple arrangements. There is also an honesty in her
lyrics that offer both her former lovers, and her own shortcomings, lamenting
"You set it up masterfully/and then blame it all on me" on "Michel," while later
admitting "take my word for it I'm not worth it" as she avoids phone calls on
"Bathtub." Crutchfield manages to console herself throughout this ordeal while
maintaining her role as narrator as she guides each track through its mostly
despairing subject matter in an impressive manner. However, despite the intense
storytelling here, it's clear that she still craves the indie pop hooks that she
wrote with P.S. Eliot, evidenced on the breezy "Be Good," and subsequently her
vocal melodies provide the sweetness to brighten the otherwise downbeat tone
with debilitating effect.



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