The world has waited since 1997’s RAPT to hear a follow-up from folk singer-songwriter Rebecca Blasband. Having spent some time producing sound design and music for television and film, she clearly has a knack for what works with her audience, a fact evident within the tracks on Here. Rebecca wastes no time, jumping right into gorgeous ballad “Love Is”, getting a little more primal with the percussive instrumentals. The title track seems to slow the pace down a bit, a lot more introspective than its predecessors. While “Walking On Water” is a song you could see yourself singing around a fire with your closest friends, while “Who The Hell is Peter Brown?” might get a little more attention at a karaoke bar. (It’s got an edge to it a crowd can’t deny!)

“Those Happy Days” picks the pace back up of course, quirky and fun in its existence, while “Ghost Song” slows it all down a bit more, getting very real with lines like “Sometimes I think I’m just gonna disappear / Waste away / In thin air.” If you feel a little out of control of your life right now, this track will resonate in its entirety. “Way Of The World” is a slap of reality, while “Gotta Work It Out” reintroduces that edge we fell for earlier. “Target” is soulful, psychedelic and perfection in most situations, though you might want to be careful about playing the beginning of it while driving. “Long Distance Love Affair” rounds it all out in a bittersweet and beautiful way, as mention of a long distance love affair brings a level of melancholy to an already meandering and blues-y song. It’s the perfect end to the album, as it makes us all feel a little detached by the end of it.

Here is available now. Keep up with Rebecca Blasband here.

Meredith Schneider