Avalanche

by Jenny Owen Youngs

Overview

Although she never really went away, Avalanche represents singer and songwriter Jenny Owen Youngs' first proper solo album in over a decade. A productive period nonetheless, during that time, she put out no less than five EPs, an instrumental indie folk album (with frequent collaborators John Mark Nelson and Tancred), and worked as a songwriter for hire, co-writing tracks for the likes of Pitbull, Panic! At the Disco, Ingrid Michaelson, and many more. In fact, Avalanche contains several songwriting collaborations, including credits for S. Carey, the Antlers' Peter Silberman, and Madi Diaz, among others. The full-length format was prompted by big emotions, namely the experience of going through a divorce and then finding love again, events reflected in the album's mix of regret, self-doubt, and affection. Avalanche's title track (the Madi Diaz co-write) starts things off in melancholy fashion with 15 seconds of a maudlin piano demo before shifting to a more fully arranged examination of Youngs' own self-destructive tendencies, with double-tracked vocals that include the line "I get worn out on my favorite cycle/Where I do something dumb and try to survive it." Later on, the trotting "Everglades" (written with Christian Lee Hutson), a travel song of sorts with shuffling brushed snare, foot-tapping bass guitar and kick drum, and light but animated electric guitar, regrets things that were said on both sides (again with seemingly thematic double-tracked vocals). Even one of the album's most musically uplifting moments, the full-band, implied-clap-along track "It's Later Than You Think" (with Peter Silberman), takes the narrator to task for losing track of time ("I mostly don't know where I've been/Or what I thought about"). Meanwhile, the closest thing to a straight-up love song is the spookier, atmospheric "Set It on Fire." Among the heaviest hitters here are the gentle "Goldenrod," which regrets not saying goodbye ("I never thought that I'd have to"), and "Bury Me Slowly," a spare, sometimes shimmery electric-acoustic lament, although all of Avalanche is emotionally raw. The album closes on a wispy piano ballad, "Now Comes the Mystery" (with S. Carey), which isn't ready to close the door on someone who's already gone. Throughout Avalanche, Youngs illustrates emotions with actions like feeling in pockets for missing keys and watching events through glass, making for an easily worthwhile return to the form. ~ Marcy Donelson

Product Details

Release Date:	09/22/2023
Label:	Yep Roc
UPC:	0634457121065
Rank:	80792

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jenny Owen Youngs   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Christian Lee Hutson   Vocals (Background)
Josh Kaufman   Bass,Drums,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Percussion,Synthesizer,Drum Machine
Matt Barrick   Drums,Percussion

Technical Credits

Sean Carey   Composer
D. James Goodwin   Mixing,Engineer,Mastering
Jenny Owen Youngs   Design,Composer
Bess Rogers   Composer
Peter Silberman   Composer
Mikky Ekko   Composer
Madi Diaz   Composer
Nathan Golub   Design
Josh Goleman   Photography
Tyler Demorest   Composer
Christian Lee Hutson   Composer
Josh Kaufman   Engineer,Producer
Gillian Pelkonen   Engineer