Anais Mitchell – Young Man in America
Anais’ first regularly available release ‘Hymns for the Exiled’ was an album that really hit hard when it arrived in 2004, at a time when many contemporary folk artists and labels we’re perhaps playing it safe, Anais’ album was unique in both sound and lyrical approach, and as well as making many of her contemporaries look a little insular in comparison it marked the arrival of one of the most creative artists of the past decade.
Her releases since then have always been artistically interesting, but with the exception of Hadestown, have never really quite hit the mark or reached the heights of ‘Hymns’.
The release of ‘Young Man in America’ sees Anais at her very best, and this collection is a beautiful, substantial and compelling set of stories that sit together to form a genuinely exciting album.
There’s a real energy that sits across the disc, it’s not delivered in strident vocals or full on arrangements, but in lyrical content. She delivers songs of the human condition in such unique way that it really draws the listener in – as a communicator she really is one of the very finest out there.
Produced by long time collaborator Todd Sickafoose, she draws on a wide range of instrumentation to create dramatic and distinct arrangements, so while we see her regular band of guitars, bass and keyboards, this is added to with fiddle, flute, trumpet, clarinet, mandolin and more across the various songs. Notably Chris Thile adds mandolin to the arrangements (especially memorable on ‘Dyin Day’), and it’s great to hear Rachel Ries’ voice again as she provides vocals here.
‘Young Man in America’ is a substantial, thoughtful and complex album, but has an accessibility that means it can be listened to and enjoyed on many levels – the first great album of 2012 and if Anais wasn’t already celebrated as one of the best songwriters around, then this album should convince all who hear it.
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