Sprained Ankle (studio album)
by Julien Baker

I remember her debut being the talk of the town back in 2015, yet I somehow never got to listen to it – I mean, Folk-based Singer/Songwriter sounds something I’d easily give a pass without a second thought, so it's not that big of a surprise. Better late than never, I had to see what the fuss is about in order to properly evaluate this one. My initial suspicion was both confirmed and refuted. On the one hand, it feels like I’ve heard all about it before, nothing groundbreaking that sets her apart from her peers, at least from a strictly technical point of view. On the other hand, she can really speak to your heart. A deeply personal, honest, courageously confessional accounting of her struggles, sufferings, fears, insecurities, self-diminishing thoughts. She also touches some more abstract matters, like religious themes, but manages to remain relatable by displaying their impact on her private affairs, i.e. addiction or interpersonal relationships. The music takes a back seat, it's secondary to the point of almost being non-existent, it’s there just to further emphasise the message. Sometimes she goes over the top, e.g. Rejoice should in theory be the most powerful moment of the album, but it was simply too much for the light-hearted me. Actually, there’s a line in Brittle Boned that summarises the whole album "Cause I’m so good at hurting myself".

From luigybetis 12/06/2018 22:37

It's not something that I will listen every day, but it is not bad at all. 7/10.

And just when we thought that Carrie and Lowell was the most depressing album of 2015....

From HoldenM 12/14/2015 08:10

An album like this should make me want to tell Julien Baker to get a grip. Instead, I just want to cry with her. She just gets it.