Sharon Van Etten has long been a critical darling; a singular, modern folk artist with a cult following. The New Jersey-bred musician (and new mom) will endear herself even more to lovers of thoughtful, melodic indie pop with Remind Me Tomorrow, her fifth album.
Produced by St. Vincent collaborator John Congleton, RMT is more commercial-sounding than her previous work; that’s not a knock, some of her new synthesizer-infused songs are simply louder and catchier without sacrificing the thoughtful lyrics and resonant, emotive voice for which she’s known. RMT finds her at the height of her powers — Van Etten’s rock star presence, visible in her gorgeously shot videos and spot on live performances, is more confident than ever (she’s expanded her career recently into acting, which may have contributed).
With her sounds and images on this album, Van Etten nods to great female artists who came before her like Patti Smith, Joan Jett, Siouxsie Sioux, Aimee Mann, Liz Phair, Meshell Ndegeocello, PJ Harvey, and Karen O. But Van Etten is always fully herself, whether vacillating between admiration and fury on “Comeback Kid” to singing unabashedly about passion in the seriously sexy and haunting “Jupiter 4.” The theme of reconciling the past with the present is a consistent theme, highlighted on “Seventeen,” where Van Etten talks to the version of herself who existed 20 years ago. The singer seems to acknowledge that, no matter the present circumstances, everyone is haunted by their past. “I know what you’re gonna be / I know that you’re gonna be / You’re crumbling up just to see / Afraid that you’ll be just like me.” It’s hard to imagine that a younger Van Etten could be dissatisfied with the artist she’s become.
This article is a part of the 2019 FEB / MAR issue of Whole Life Times.