The voice behind Waxahatchee, that of Katie Crutchfield, spreads far and wide. Coming off her celebrated 2013 release Cerulean Salt, the announcement of his third LP, Ivy Tripp, set to release this April, was met with the album’s lead single “Air”. Obvious influences are met, down to the Kim Deal comparisons, with The Pixies, a stark, naked, reinterpretation of their radiant sound. Crutchfield’s voice is defiant and forthcoming, unashamed of his mistreatment to a lost love. “I left you out like a carton of milk” she declares as she reminisces of the past. Where the production, featuring riddled guitar riffs, rapidly segmented drum loops, and swelling keyboards, draws the listener in off first listen, it’s Crutchfield’s vocalization that lulls them to its completion, with dashes of lyrical poetry thrown in for good measure. It’s a brilliant blend of calming melodies, honest interpretations of nostalgic events, and emotional highs to match that make “Air” a memorable track. If it’s anything to go by, Ivy Tripp should be too.
