Day 65: Angel Olsen — Phases
By their very nature, b-sides and compilation albums are hard to evaluate fairly. Even before pressing play, listeners come in with the knowledge that the artist doesn’t necessarily see what’s on here as their strongest work, or at least not thematically related to past proper albums.
On the other hand, sometimes an artist is overflowing with creative bounty that there simply isn’t enough room to store all of their worthwhile ideas. While the brevity of some songs on Angel Olsen’s Phases would seem to imply that not everything here was an album-ready idea, the collection of demos, rarities, b-sides and cutting-room floor tracks here is definitely enough here to keep her growing audience intrigued, if not outright satisfied.
As if to dispel the idea that the album is just a series of half-baked demos, the first two tracks are fully-fleshed ideas that stand as excellent companion pieces to Olsen’s recent albums. “Fly on Your Wall” feels like a polished take on Burn Your Fire for No Witness’ approach to songwriting, starting shyly but building steadily into something full-throated and triumphant. Meanwhile, the lengthy “Special” would’ve been right at home on My Woman, as it reflects Olsen’s ability to stretch relatively simple concepts into songs that can sustain themselves for upwards of seven minutes at a time. As Olsen’s voice fades out, we’re treated to something akin to Velvet Underground noodling meets light krautrock atmospherics (all about those reverse loops). Its further proof of her still-growing confidence as a songwriter, and underscores the fact that she can do much more than just sing her heart out over a few basic chords.
Speaking of which, Phases does an excellent job of showcasing Olsen’s talents as one of the most dynamic, turn-on-a-dime vocalists of any genre or gender. From soft whispers to a heavenly vibrato to full-throated enthusiasm that (perhaps intentionally) confounds the assumptions of femininity within an indie rock context, the range of sounds, styles, and moods she’s able to summon from her voice is unparalleled. “Sweet Dreams,” a sixties-flavored rock track finds Olsen somehow channeling both Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick and Chris Isaak at nearly the same damn time. The instrumentation behind her is interesting enough in its own right, but the unmistakable energy and enthusiasm she brings to the performance certainly places this one in the “why didn’t this make it onto one of her proper albums?” column.
Side two of the record largely features a series of homemade demos which, despite their brevity and relative simplicity, help to further the idea that Angel Olsen’s music is a gift from a bygone era. Within the simple format of guitar and vocals, she manages to showcase a surprising range, possibly hinting at new musical territory to mine in the future. Thanks to her vocal approach, “For You” has the bones of a vintage rock & roll or motown song that could’ve come out fifty-plus years ago. “May as Well” and “Endless Road” feel equally indebted to country and western and Simon and Garfunkel, somehow subsuming both of those sounds without stealing from them overtly.
With My Woman just over a year old, Phases release can be chalked up to its strength rather than any sense of obligation. An interesting bridge between past, present, and a possible future, it’s further proof of Angel Olsen’s ability to differentiate herself from many of her musical peers. If this is what she’s able to mostly sweep up off of the studio floor, I’m already excited to see what her next proper release has in store.
This is Day 65 in my 100 albums in 100 days series, where I review a new album or EP I haven’t heard in full before every day through December 31st. Check out yesterday’s post or see the full archives for more.
