American Weekend

In the midst of a blizzard in Alabama, Katie Crutchfield -- formerly of indie pop band P.S. Eliot -- penned songs for her debut solo album American Weekend, which was released under the moniker Waxahatchee. The making of the lo fi indie affair has echoes of Bon Iver's secluded, cathartic cabin recording that resulted in For Emma, Forever Ago. Here Crutchfield sheltered herself in a house at nearby namesake Waxahatchee Creek, and surrounded by snow, she laid down a collection of tracks whose stories had taken root in the previous months. The emotional fragility that takes hold of the record is the result of acute heartbreak and the dissolution of her teenage dream as P.S. Eliot wound down -- all of which culminated in the songs here. The level of intimacy that Crutchfield reveals to the listener here is at times overwhelming and not just because she is divulging such personal admissions, but because they are so easily relatable. Armed with an acoustic guitar, this album is a raw introdu