Lucy Dacus // Historian

Lucy Dacus

Historian

Matador Records

4.5/5 Stars

Epic, moving, and varied, Lucy Dacus' sophomore record is nothing short of brilliant. It's not the kind of brilliance that screams in the listener's face. The record is subtle, with Dacus' warm alto voice starting off almost incredibly soothing in the opening track "Night Shift." Four minutes into the six-and-a-half minute track the waves of fuzz kick in, transitioning from a delicate indie-pop shuffle reminiscent of Julien Baker (fitting, as the two are reportedly friends) into something more like Mitski. The Norfolk, Virginia songwriter builds on her already critically acclaimed first album No Burden for a slightly more orchestrated effort. Perhaps the only minor complaint to an otherwise exceptional record is that it doesn't end with the penultimate song "Pillar of Truth." The climactic moments of the more than seven-minute-long track build and swell to a beautiful breaking point. The almost-titular track, "Historians" serves as an end credits denouement, the album's falling action settling like serene dust. Lyrically, the record is a dense work that creatively deals with death, relationships, Dacus' religious upbringing, and more. Like her contemporaries, Dacus isn't at all afraid to bare her soul in the recording studio. — Nick Warren