Tramp is Van Etten’s third album but, where 2010’s Epic was cautiously understated, this time she’s delivered her defining artistic statement.
With rare missteps throughout the record, Sharon Van Etten shouldn’t have to worry about what Tramp will do to her reputation. She’ll be just fine.
It’s a wonderful record, a colossal achievement, and features some of the most breathtaking, moving and downright beautiful music you’ll hear all year.
It is an album full of passion, beauty, talent and fantastic songs.
It has been a joy to see Van Etten growing in confidence as an artist – and this isn’t just her finest album, but one of early 2012’s best.
Tramp is simply her most fully-realized album yet, and that’s all there is to it.
Tramp isn’t a party album. It isn’t an album made for quick digestion or joyous celebration. Its revelations are fixed in that intimacy, that private conversation Van Etten has designed to share with you, and you alone.
Tramp is Van Etten’s most confident-sounding album to date, pushing at the boundaries of her music and suggesting a turn away from the romantic wound-licking that has dominated her lyrics.
The producerly hand of the National's Aaron Dessner and cameos by the likes of Beirut's Zach Condon only add to the conclusion that Tramp is one of the must-hears of early 2012.
While it’s refreshing to see Van Etten make a full-blown studio album of “normal” length, there may be something to the more modest approach she took on 2010’s Epic – in other words, Tramp could have been cut down by at least two songs.
It’s to Van Etten’s credit that with Tramp she navigates the narrow corridor between the banal and the cliché-ridden; producing something worth listening to on the well-worn subject of falling in and out of love.
Rather deliberately, Van Etten’s best musical traits can be broken into individual categories. As immensely well done and enjoyable as the aforementioned cuts are, they also feel incomplete.
Matters of mistrust, isolation, and uncomfortable togetherness dominate Tramp, rolling through every track like a sick, creeping fog.
Tramp ups the game on both fronts—her songs have a newfound bravado, and her crushing heartache has become tempered with acceptance and understanding.
Tramp offers plenty for listeners to enjoy as she goes.
Tramp is confirmation that Van Etten is a singular talent in the singer-songwriter world, a voice that commands attention through sheer power and the subtle impact of her words.
Some moments here do veer into the more predictable end of indie-rock territory.
Edit: This has perhaps grown on me a good amount...
Not too bad, I really like her voice and the acoustic folky arrangements on this album. Not every song captured me but it satisfies the indie folk itch I always have. This record makes me want to check out and dive a little deeper into her career since I found this to be a satisfying record.
This album is a pretty special one to me, as it’s the album that introduced me to Sharon Van Etten’s music. In my early twenties when this came out, I was in a pretty overwhelming crossroads in my life, coming straight out of Uni without a clue what I was doing in my life, and trying to navigate the responsibilities that comes with independence. I have to say everytime I played this album it truly grounded me, and ever since then SVE has been one of my absolute favourite and go to ... read more
Favorite Tracks : Warsaw, Give Out, Serpents, Leonard, All I Can, I’m Wrong
Least Favorite Track : In Line
I can't easily explain why this album is great, but I can try to extract a few sentiments. Despite her vocals that seem to pull her onto a plane above the rest of her music, she provides a ton of vulnerability, need, longing, and hopefulness that creates a strange but compelling dissonance throughout the album. Although she's pouring her heart out in a way, it takes time and multiple listens to feel the full impact of weight of it. She changes the energy just enough to feel vastly different ... read more
Tracklist:
1. Warsaw (8)
2. Give Out (10)
3. Serpents (10)
4. Kevin's (9)
5. Leonard (10)
6. In Line (9)
7. All I Can (9)
8. We Are Fine (9)
9. Magic Chords (10)
10. Ask (9)
11. I'm Wrong (8)
12. Joke or a Lie (8)
109/12 = 9.083
Overall Rating:
Really really enjoyed this album. Very similar to phoebe bridgers’ punisher. Feels like a predecessor to that; very dark and sad sounding album. not much instrumental variety but sharon has an amazing voice that feels like it’s own ... read more
★★★½ - Warsaw
★★★★★ - Give Out
★★★★★ - Serpents
★★★★½ - Kevin's
★★★★½ - Leonard
★★★★★ - In Line
★★★★ - All I Can
★★★★ - We Are Fine
★★★½ - Magic Chords
★★★½ - Ask
★★★ - I'm Wrong
★★★ - Joke or a Lie
80.833/100
2023/08/11
[83.333]
1 | Warsaw 2:27 | 77 |
2 | Give Out 4:19 | 96 |
3 | Serpents 3:02 | 97 |
4 | Kevin's 4:02 | 87 |
5 | Leonard 3:48 | 87 |
6 | In Line 4:44 | 91 |
7 | All I Can 4:54 | 87 |
8 | We Are Fine 3:49 | 83 |
9 | Magic Chords 3:56 | 89 |
10 | Ask 3:21 | 80 |
11 | I'm Wrong 3:55 | 77 |
12 | Joke or a Lie 4:02 | 75 |
#1 | / | The Fly |
#4 | / | A.V. Club |
#5 | / | Paste |
#6 | / | American Songwriter |
#7 | / | Spinner |
#8 | / | Piccadilly Records |
#12 | / | Consequence of Sound |
#12 | / | No Ripcord |
#15 | / | MAGNET |
#15 | / | NME |