You Should Know About Sharon Van Etten

I had heard the buzz surrounding the release of Sharon Van Etten's second album Epic, but I had never given her stuff a listen. It was probably because these days I'm not too into folk-inspired music. I was in the past, but now I'm more of a rock girl. I finally downloaded a few Van Etten songs and played "A Crime" as I started my morning commute. I didn't listen to another song the entire 40-minute ride. I kept on pushing the repeat button. Van Etten's deep voice and deeper lyrics paired with bare bones guitar strumming evoke more human emotion than any rock song every could. The cool thing about the best folk songs is that they are absent of any pretense. They sound the greatest when it's just the songwriter with their guitar, and no studio tricks. Sharon Van Etten has reinvigorated in me a love of simple, honest songs. I know she'll be on my playlist for months.

Also, on Saturday night I checked out Anything But Animals, a band of two guys from Berklee. Their drums/synth setup recalls the fast-paced pop of Matt & Kim, but their music is definitely for a rockier, moshier crowd. Their energy is up there too. Definitely worth a listen.

I'm changing up the infinity yeah schedule. I think This Week's Show works better on Wednesdays, that way we can get geared up for the weekend. So You Should Know About is moving to Mondays and On Repeat will be on Tuesdays.