Staff Picks: Joan Shelley - Like The River Loves The Sea

For fans of: Contemporary folk-music with subtlety and depth.

What they're saying: The esteemed Stereogum blog named Like The River Loves The Sea their record of the week recently. In that review Tom Breihan nicely sums up her sound: “As ever, Shelley is making quiet, intimate music — music that carries a delicate sense of atmosphere.” A praise heavy recent NPR feature ties the record’s sense of place to a certain environmental anxiety.

What we say: Joan Shelley’s voice is as always excellent, the playing here is intimate and natural, a sound indebted to the artist’s Appalachian / Kentuckian roots. All the mostly acoustic sounds here are lovely but Like The River Loves The Sea also has a depth of songwriting for a rewarding close listen too.