Saint Cloud

Saint Cloud is a journey. It’s a drive that we as listeners go on, alongside Katie Crutchfield, the songwriter behind Waxahatchee. She made a decision, in 2018, to embrace sobriety, and this album tells the story of that decision. Instrumentally, Saint Cloud rarely strays from the country rulebook – but this is key to its emotive power. By using these well-worn sounds, Crutchfield can then set these songs ablaze lyrically. She examines every facet of addiction. ‘Hell’ details the struggles of resisting old temptations, and ‘War’ is written for her best friend, explaining that this affliction is one Crutchfield must bear alone. A particular highlight is mid-album cut ‘The Eye’, on the process of songwriting, and loving another artist. Crutchfield has been in a relationship with Kevin Morby since 2017; she describes her songwriting (“chase all the rain, put it down, call it paint”), and their shared need to write about their experiences (“powerless against the calling of the eye”).

Saint Cloud cuts deepest in moments of pure narrative. The tracks ‘Arkadelphia’ and ‘Ruby Falls’ are twin flashes of grief. ‘Arkadelphia’ is a window into the burden of just staying the course, Crutchfield speaking to the heart of recovery: “if we make pleasant conversation, I hope you can't see what's burning in me”. If ‘Arkadelphia’ is concerned with the reality of healing, ‘Ruby Falls’ is tells the story of a friend lost to overdose. The track ends with a concise summary of how it feels to watch on as a someone spirals – “I’m an angler married to the sea”. Saint Cloud is an outstandingly accomplished depiction of the web addiction weaves throughout a life. Katie Crutchfield’s is a vital voice, and she has on her hands a collection of songs that are at times both heart-breaking and life-affirming. Absolutely essential.