The evolution of Waxahatchee is one of modern music’s most satisfying journeys. From 2013’s rickety, wispy Cerulean Salt to Saint Cloud, her full-bodied shift to Americana in 2020, Katie Crutchfield has chronicled the ups and downs of existence in intimate but sweeping songs that needle at the point of it all. On Tigers Blood, she returns clear-eyed and spirited with a twisting country album of anthemic earworms that evoke long summer evenings, intimate chats and misty-eyed regret.
These songs were written by an individual who has experienced the complexities and simplicity of life. Rather than following a specific storyline, the album captures a series of moments and emotions that reflect the complicated nature of being alive. The artist sings about the contradiction of songwriting, their tendency to become angry quickly, unstable friendships, and relationships that only make sense in retrospect – as heard in the track “Lone Star Lake”: “My life has been planned out perfectly / But I still feel a bit lost.” The music itself is a skillful blend of country and punk, with a softer edge compared to their previous, edgier works.
Crutchfield uses catchy tunes and energetic choruses, while also playing with cliches and combining metaphors (notably on Crowbar, constantly alluding to itself). This creates a puzzling lyrical effect: if you focus too much, you may get tangled up, but if you view it from the side, it becomes clear. Crutchfield has mentioned that after the sobering transformation in Saint Cloud, Tigers Blood has no specific storyline, but rather exudes a positive sensation rather than a message.
Source: theguardian.com
