Wheel
(2013)
why you'll love it: Incredible vocal and songwriting talent, country that isn't kitschy
why you'll hate it: Loss of that naive relatable feeling
Maturity is a term slung around way too often when critically looking at music. A lot of people use it as an excuse to justify change. When a dumb young band finally stops writing sophomoric joke songs, it's heralded as maturity; but usually the songs are hammy and short-sighted. Laura Stevenson has seemed to embody a truer definition of maturity. The tone and confidence of her vocals have strengthened. The songwriting on Wheel has more care for layered melody, and more complicated and evocative wordplay.
No longer referring to her backup band as "The Cans" is a good move, as Wheel feels less like "that cute quirky New Yorker girl obsessed with country" and more like a poised next generation country and blues star. If not for her fish-out-of-water upbringing and obscurity in a record label otherwise known for its DIY punk, Stevenson would be seen in a very different light. She resonates with me more than Neko Case and Cat Power ever have; but since she doesn't come from the scene that turns people like her into a big deal, she's known as punk-rock's lovable outsider.
In case that ever changes, why not start listening to her now, eh? Wheel fluctuates between delicate, powerful, fun, and emotional tones with professional ease. As much as I loved the more cuddly and carefree approach of her first two LPs, hearing something that sounds "all grown up" feels very good as well. Hopefully she gets the attention she deserves soon.
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