Album Review: Angel Olsen - MY WOMAN

MY WOMAN is an album that, despite it being a tale of two halves, is delivered with a single-minded focus.

Angel Olsen's third full-length record consists of a collection of tracks, which, if were listened to in isolation would be nice enough, but when combined across an album are simply gorgeous. MY WOMAN is a release that would fit perfectly on vinyl given the none-too-subtle direction change that occurs at the mid-point of the album. Heart Shaped Face steers MY WOMAN into introspective waters and away from the record's more accessible first half.

While album opener Intern is a melodramatic highlight, ballads like the seven-plus-minute Sister that reside on the B-side show the value of reigning back an arrangement to expose Olsen's fragile voice ("Show me the future, tell me you'll be there/I want to go where nobody knows fear). MY WOMAN sees Olsen isolated, as if caught in a spotlight. It's revealing, giving you the impression you're sneaking a peek behind the curtain at an artist in turmoil.

Of course, the opening half of the record shows that she can draw on the swagger of Polly Jean Harvey or Jenny Lewis when required. Give It Up for instance features some quality Pavement-esque guitar work, and segues smoothly into Not Gonna Kill You, a rebellious sounding tune that could soundtrack an indie-girl-power moment on a Wes Anderson film.

From there, MY WOMAN takes a turn for the reflective, and it's a turn that pays out big.