Each Waxahatchee album has felt like a big step forward, and Out In The Storm feels like the biggest one yet.
This time, that heart feels bolder, more ballsy, as if the two years since ‘Ivy Tripp’ have seen Crutchfield put up with too much shit, and this is her making a stand.
While lacking the close mic’d intimacy of her early work, Out in the Storm is equally immersive, with songs that play like fiery exorcisms. It proves that Crutchfield’s music can retain its honesty while aiming at larger audiences, gaining its power from the raw, relentless energy that’s always fueled her best songs.
Out in the Storm is a deeply impressive record, one that finds Crutchfield honing the strengths we knew she had, discovering new ones, and adding another strong record a rare sort of catalog — one that is consistent but unafraid to push for something new.
Out in the Storm, while as frank as Crutchfield’s earlier albums, also sees her kicking back against the person who wronged her. Musically it offers some of her most robust work to date, her chiming alt-rock melodies ballasted by a full band that includes her sister Allison.
All the better for the fact that it reflects these unfortunate nuances rather than dishing out the heavy-handed Goodbye-And-Good-Riddance that people may expect from a breakup, Out in the Storm is essential listening for anyone experiencing these upheavals, and a brilliant record for anyone else.
Rather than looking backwards ... ‘Out In The Storm’ marks an unsteady but definite musical and personal transformation.
A messy postmortem of a bad relationship, Katie Crutchfield’s fourth album as Waxahatchee is thrillingly alive with recrimination, regret and release
This is an unflinching, cathartic album that is concerned with looking back to help her move forward with a clear understanding that it will be the making of her. It’s also an album where the music is easily removed from the subject matter and can simply be enjoyed for what it is—a superb set of beautifully crafted and catchy rock songs.
With Crutchfield forthright as ever and collaborators suited to drive home her position, Out in the Storm hits with strength as much as emotion.
The elements needed to make Katie Crutchfield one of the greatest songwriters in indie rock have always been present, just not slotted together perfectly ... the record provides of the most satisfying pinnacles of the year.
This is yet another reinvention for Crutchfield, but this is the first time she’s so palpably given off the sense that she’s at peace with her own thoughts: stronger and more candid for having figured out how to best to take care of herself.
Far too self-aware for her own good, Crutchfield is nonetheless becoming one of indie rock’s finest songwriters – it’s a privilege to witness this talent as it continues to bloom.
Out in the Storm hears Crutchfield unleashing her first effort recorded in a proper studio, with a full band and under the guidance of producer John Agnello. Unsurprisingly, the results are some of Crutchfield's biggest rock'n'roll anthems yet.
While her songwriting hasn’t quite made the same leaps that prior records have shown, Out in the Storm offers a unique perspective: that of someone happier and stronger for the pain endured.
It’s a record that documents a reasonably messy break-up, and the characteristics of Crutchfield’s sound provide the ideal canvas for her own regret and release, always sounding alive and hopeful despite its conversationally confrontational lyrical content.
On record, Out In The Storm feels under-written and over-performed when considered alongside many of the great recent reissues from the genre’s heyday (Liz Phair, Plumtree, Helium, etc.).
It’s hard to listen to Out in the Storm and not long for what could have been. Crutchfield is baring her soul and just about every song shows some signs of greatness. It comes up short, but not for a lack of trying.
Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield runs out of new things to say well before Out in the Storm ends.
Pretty different to last years’ Saint Cloud, with a much more hard hitting sound on display. But the quality songwriting and vocals are still good, despite once again suffering from some pretty boiler plate instrumentals.
Standout: Silver
Favs: Recite Remorse, No Question, Never been wrong
Least fav: A little more
Catchy, intimate, short and to the point, nice instrumentation, nice voice, fairly cool cover, decent subject matter, no filler, has playback quality - what more can you ask for in a Indie Rock album?
EDIT: I guess i was lying about playback quality because I haven't gone back to this album at all nor do I really want to...
I love it when women. Out In The Storm is one of those albums designed for people overcoming significant barriers; this album has helped serve me during personal revolutions when overcoming shitty relationships or bad chapters. Despite having more popular records, this one stands out to me because any time a woman in music can share their experiences and simultaneously demonstrate in the instrumentation and lyrics, I have to commend them. Their work is always so impressive. Thanks, Katie.
1 | Never Been Wrong 3:12 | 100 |
2 | 8 Ball 2:49 | 100 |
3 | Silver 3:24 | 81 |
4 | Recite Remorse 4:38 | 100 |
5 | Sparks Fly 3:06 | 78 |
6 | Brass Beam 2:41 | 89 |
7 | Hear You 3:00 | 90 |
8 | A Little More 2:32 | 82 |
9 | No Question 3:38 | 84 |
10 | Fade 3:47 | 100 |
#8 | / | Stereogum |
#10 | / | Philadelphia Inquirer |
#10 | / | The A.V. Club |
#12 | / | The Key |
#14 | / | Rolling Stone |
#14 | / | Rolling Stone (Australia) |
#15 | / | New York Daily News |
#18 | / | ABC News |
#18 | / | Paste |
#31 | / | Bandcamp Daily |