Rock & Indie 4 Items

One of the hardest working singer-songwriters in the game is named Katie Crutchfield. She was born in Alabama, grew up near Waxahatchee Creek. Skipped town and struck out on her own as Waxahatchee. That was over a decade ago. Crutchfield says she never knew the road would lead her here, but after six critically acclaimed albums, she"s never felt more confident in herself as an artist. While her sound has evolved from lo-fi folk to lush alt-tinged country, her voice has always remained the same. Honest and close, poetic with Southern lilting. Much like Carson McCullers"s Mick Kelly, determined in her desires and convictions, ready to tell whoever will listen. And after years of being sober and stable in Kansas City-after years of sacrificing herself to her work and the road-Crutchfield has arrived at her most potent songwriting yet. On her new album, Tigers Blood, Crutchfield emerges as a powerhouse-an ethnologist of the self-forever dedicated to revisiting her wins and losses But now she"s arriving at revelations and she ain"t holding them back.

Orion Sun’s music has a profound gravitational pull. Since the mid-2010s, the 24-year-old singer/songwriter/producer has released transformative, intimate soul that sounds atmospheric, yet grounded. By creating a listening experience that’s both heady and guarded, Orion Sun has cemented herself as one of alternative R&B’s most pivotal artists. With her new body of work, she sounds meditative, full of wisdom—voice unwavering even in moments of uncertainty. After learning to heal through creativity, Orion Sun has arrived at the present moment with Getaway, a labor of love that doubles as a time capsule of her pandemic experience. Produced by Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend, Haim), her lead single “Concrete” marries hard-hitting percussion with vulnerable lyrics that address both romantic emotions and her appreciative feelings toward her family and ancestors. Orion Sun has proven that she can do it all on her own. But by gathering talented minds together to help and teach her, she’s allowing herself to focus on what makes her voice and songwriting so captivating. She’s long been able to deftly handle weighty subject matter, but with extra hands around, Orion Sun’s songs are only getting sharper, heavier, and more moving.