Michigan-based singer/songwriter, Annie Bacon, has a new album for us to treat our ears to. Nothing Stays the Same was released on July 19th and is filled with a whopping fourteen songs for your musical consumption.
Though she was born and raised in Maine, Bacon was reared musically in San Francisco over nearly two decades. But like her band, the OSHEN (a rotating cast of musicians), life offers change at a near constant pace. She and her family relocated to Ann Arbor in mid 2018. From that new perch, Bacon undertook the band’s fifth project, Nothing Stays The Same.
The album starts with “Better Not Begin,” a measured track that’s an apt introduction to the album. “Nothing Stays the Same,” the titular track, is an incredible folk rock song with the melody of the chorus proving to be a definite earworm. The standout song of the album is most definitely “Two Way Street.” Clocking in at a little over five minutes, it’s the longest on the album, but there’s a lot of emotion and a lot of story to unpack there.
Annie Bacon’s vocals are a highlight of the album. With a slight country leaning, they’re powerful and emotive. They give me chills when I hear that Stevie Nicks-esque vibrato, which–luckily for me–happens often. “I Wanna Die Like Lou Reed” is the band’s most obvious nod to their Fleetwood Mac influences. Although Annie Bacon’s Oshen is wildly talented, I appreciate how their compositions let Bacon’s voice shine. Even on “Long Road” and “Next Time You See Me” when Bacon forfeits her lead vocal takes, the harmonies and lyricism shine instead.
Nothing Stays the Same is a lush, beautifully orchestrated album of Americana-tinged folk rock. Filled front-to-back with 45-minutes of thoughtful songwriting about universal themes, it’s sure to stay a favorite for months to come.
UPCOMING SHOWS
August 15 – Uncommon Ground Edgewater – Chicago, IL
August 16 – Riverwest Public House Cooperative – Milwaukee, WI
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