(Photo Credit - Tina Tyrell)
Album Review - Snail Mail: Valentine (November 5, 2021)
Indie singer/songwriter Lindsey Jordan is back with her follow-up to 2018's Lush. Valentine is a collection of tracks that were all written by Jordan, who in her short career has shown herself to be a prodigious songwriter, especially in an era where artists are outsourcing this responsibility. Jordan, who created the framing of this album after the loss of a relationship and a stay in a recovery center where she tracked out the arrangements by memory as instruments were not permitted. After this, Jordan emerged with a shell of an album, and began to really get to work on Valentine.
Valentine is the perfect follow-up to Lush. It shows continued growth for Jordan as a songwriter. Especially musically as Jordan offers more traditional alt-pop, some folk tuned tracks, as well as guitar driven bangers. For example, her work on the ethereal "Light Blue" is unlike anything we've heard from the talented singer/songwriter. The slowed down "c. et. al." is similar to "Light Blue" in that it's a stripped down take on a slower tune. With this one, Jordan's vocals are especially highlighted. Jordan returns with familiar sounding tracks like "Valentine" and "Glory" both of which feature the guitar driven melodies we're used to hearing from Snail Mail records.
In short, Jordan has done it again and continues to develop as one of the best in the game today. Valentine is can't miss, even for those unfamiliar with Jordan's previous work. It's also a later entry into this year's Album of the Year sweepstakes, for this reviewer at least.
Rating - 5/5