(Photo Credit - Ebru Yildiz)
Advance Review - Lucy Dacus: Home Video (June 25, 2021) via Matador
The incomparable Lucy Dacus has returned with her third LP in five years, the simply titled Home Video. This new release comes just in time for those of us clamoring for new music from the ultra-talented singer/songwriter. In Home Video, Dacus tangles with her formative years and the concept of looking back on the past. “Even if a memory is of a time I didn’t feel safe, there’s safety in looking at it, in its stability”, Dacus noted. At its core, Home Video is a earnest self-reflection, laid bare for listeners.
It is in musings like "If I asked you to coffee / Could you tell I don't drink it?" that Dacus sings on "Partner in Crime" that we see this honesty that is refreshing on the indie scene. It's not only Dacus' honesty that is refreshing, it's her sound. It's at times gentle and soothing. In other parts she incorporates frenetic electric guitars to drive home her point, such as on "VBS" and "Partner in Crime". On Home Video, we are also treated to Dacus' boygenius collaborators Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker joining in for vocals on "Going Going Gone" and "Please Stay". It's nice to see these collaborations continue throughout the three artists albums that have been recently released.
I'm going to say that on Home Video, Dacus is going to see similar crossover success that Bridgers and Baker have with their most recent releases. And for good reason. Home Video is a brutally honest album of self-reflection that pulls the listener in. Musically it's outstanding and lyrically it shows that Dacus has few peers on the scene today. Give this one a listen as soon as you can.
Rating - 5/5