Compilation of B-sides from Asheville based singer-songwriter! It's always a pleasure to hear something from Angel Olsen. This comp collects tracks that Olsen has released throughout her career and have been hard to find. Here's a little from Jagjaguwar about the collection: How do you best describe Angel Olsen? From the lo-fi, sparse folk-melancholy of her 2010 EP, Strange Cacti, to the electrified, polished rock 'n' roll bursting from 2016's beloved and acclaimed MY WOMAN, Olsen has refused to succumb to a single genre, expectation, or vision. Impossible to pin down, Olsen navigates the world with her remarkable, symphonic voice and a propensity for narrative, her music growing into whatever shape best fits to tell the story. Phases is a collection of Olsen's work culled from the past several years, including a number of never-before-released tracks. "Fly On Your Wall," previously contributed to the Bandcamp-only, anti-Trump fundraiser Our First 100 Days, opens Phases, before seamlessly slipping into "Special," a brand new song from the MY WOMAN recording sessions. Both "How Many Disasters" and "Sans" are first-time listens: home-recorded demos that have never been released, leaning heavily on Olsen's arresting croon and lonesome guitar. The B-sides compilation is both a testament to Olsen's enormous musical range and a tidy compilation of tracks that have previously been elusive in one way or another. Balancing tenacity and tenderness, Phases acts as a deep-dive for longtime fans, as well as a fitting introduction to Olsen's sprawling sonics for the uninitiated. Twelve tracks in all. Released by Jagjaguwar on indie exclusive olive green colored vinyl.

• limited edition
• indie-exclusive olive green colored vinyl pressing
• fold-out poster insert
• music label: Jagjaguwar 2017

reviewed by Flea Auders 09/2017