Kelsey Waldon
made her leap into the big leagues with
White Noise/White Lines
, an album released on
John Prine
's
Oh Boy Records
.
Prine
's endorsement helped raise her profile:
Waldon
was the first artist signed to
Oh Boy
in 15 years, so
's discernment is noteworthy, but
is also
's richest record, benefitting from a blend of studio savvy and earthiness. Much of that grit derives from the decision to record
with her touring band, a move that helps give the album muscle and empathy; the group follows
closely as she drifts between electrified bluegrass and juke joint country. The touring band makes
feel lived-in and also helps shift focus to
's keening voice and sharp storytelling. The music, like her songs, sighs and breathes, taking unexpected turns, like the funky groove that undergirds "Sunday's Children" or the spooky undertones that flow through her cover of
Ola Belle Reed
's "My Epitaph." However, the heart of
lies in her modernized mountain tunes, songs that play upon and twist tradition and are enlivened by her lyrical turns of phrase and soulful testifying. These are the elements of
that make this feel like the arrival of a major singer/songwriter. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine