Sharon Van Etten - Epic

I met Sharon Van Etten at a party one time, long before I'd heard any music from her. Some friends of mine gushed afterward that she was a phenomenal songwriter and had a pained voice that's a rarity to encounter. Months later, and still skeptical, I checked out Epic. I am happy to admit that my friends were right; she's great. Her songs are straightforward, sparse and simple without lacking and her voice is burdened, honest and alluring. There's a particular pain to her voice; likely stemming from the songs being born of actual experience, and there's a powerful human connection that comes with that. [www.sharonvanetten.com]