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MUSIC<br />
SSharon Van Etten<br />
Are We There<br />
Jagjaguwar, LP or CD<br />
haron Van Etten recently covered Bruce Springsteen’s “Drive All<br />
Night” for the A.V. Club’s “Pioneering” video series, performing<br />
it solo at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. While countless artists<br />
have paid homage to the Boss, Van Etten’s choice to interpret the<br />
penultimate cut from The River both deviates from the norm (it’s<br />
a deep track) and speaks volumes about the burgeoning singersongwriter’s<br />
own music.<br />
At its core, the epic ballad serves as a devotional pledge from<br />
the protagonist to his lover, who the narrator attempts to win<br />
back after a split. Dig beneath the surface, however, the song<br />
addresses the lengths people will go for someone they cherish<br />
while simultaneously laying bare the weaknesses, regrets, and<br />
desperation that surface in such instances. Similar themes occur<br />
throughout Are We There, Van Etten’s superb fourth album.<br />
Accented by orchestral devices,<br />
ornate horns, and atmospheric<br />
elements ranging from humming<br />
Hammond organs to minimalist<br />
textures, the self-produced set<br />
witnesses the 33-year-old New<br />
Jersey native expanding with fuller<br />
arrangements and sounding even<br />
more self-assured and balanced<br />
than she did on 2012’s excellent<br />
Tramp.<br />
Akin to those in many of<br />
Springsteen’s narratives, characters<br />
in Van Etten’s tunes contend with<br />
anticipation, troubles, strife, and<br />
uncertainties. But, they’re also<br />
frequently buoyed by hopeful<br />
undercurrents and the possibility<br />
of resolve. Even as the prospect<br />
of walking away often appears to<br />
be the better option, their want to<br />
stay and see flawed relationships<br />
through gives Van Etten’s songs—<br />
and their scenarios—an undeniably<br />
human touch and graceful reach.<br />
The vocalist has always traded<br />
in heartbreak, yet her lyrical<br />
insistence on taking chances<br />
and being alive no matter the<br />
consequence has only increased.<br />
At the same time, Van Etten’s anger<br />
and accusatory tones continue to<br />
decline. She remains capable of<br />
unleashing lacerating emotions and<br />
calling out offenders with exacting<br />
detail, but she’s also found a deepseated<br />
stability and insight that<br />
arrive only after a person exits their<br />
20s. The signer on Are We There<br />
is extremely confident, self-aware,<br />
direct, and intimate. Even during<br />
moments when confusion and<br />
indecision reign, her commanding<br />
vocals and shrewd phrasing<br />
eliminate doubt. (continued)<br />
©Photo by Dusdin Condren<br />
46 TONE AUDIO NO.64<br />
July 2014 47
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