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Welcome back. Hope all is well.
Outside of the Americana, Folk, Country Folk, Bluegrass and Roots scenes, Sarah Jarosz remains, in my opinion, far too unknown. She shouldn’t be though. Since beginning to learn the mandolin at age 10, and soon after the Texas native began to practice other instruments: learning guitar, clawhammer banjo and octave mandolin. Over a short period of time, Jarosz gained the notice of older musicians before signing to the fabulous Bluegrass and Americana label Sugar Hill Records while still in high school at age 16. Jarosz released her debut album, Song Up in Her Head (2009) at age 18. The album was critically well received and one of its songs, an instrumental titled, “Mansinneedof” was nominated for Best Country Instrumental Performance at the Grammys. The same year she began attending the prestigious, New England Conservatory of Music (aka NEC) in Boston.
Follow Me Down (2011) came next (while she was at the New England Conservatory of Music) and the album also had an Award nominated song. “Come Around” was nominated for Song of the Year at the Americana Music Honors & Awards. Jarosz’s next album, Build Me Up from Bones (2013) was nominated for Best Folk Album, and the song “Build Me Up from Bones” was nominated Best American Roots Song at the Grammys. Jarosz’s album after that, Undercurrent (2016) won Best Folk Album, was nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical at the Grammys. One song “House of Mercy” won a Grammy for Best American Roots Performance. World on the Ground (2020) won the Grammy for Best Americana Album and the song, “Hometown” was nominated for Best American Roots Song. Blue Heron Suite (2021) was Jarosz’s sixth studio album.
Amidst those album releases were a good number of collaborations with others, finishing school at NEC, being a regular in the house band for the insanely talented Chris Thile’s lovely public radio program Live From Here (formerly known as A Prairie Home Companion with Chris Thile). Thile, ten years older but seen as a peer and someone who was also regarded as a prodigy within the Bluegrass scene. Jarosz was featured on Live From Here along with other performers including the Grammy winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Aoife O’Donovan. Going back a few years in time before Live from Here to Colorado and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 2014 when Jarosz met up with O’Donovan and Sara Watkins (best known for her solo work and as a singer-songwriter and fiddler with the Grammy Award winning band Nickel Creek). It was there in Colorado, that the three incredibly talented singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists started collaborating. Talk about a supergroup overflowing with talent. I’m With Her was formed and the world’s been better off since. Thank you! Their debut album was See You Around (2018).
And now back to the present day where the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jarosz has crafted an 11-song album titled Polaroid Lovers. It is her seventh solo album and was released to all on January 26th via Rounder Records for your listening pleasure.
Contributors to the Polaroid Lovers album include:
- Sarah Jarosz – lead vocals, electric octave mandolin, lyrics
- Jeff Picker – bass guitar, fretless bass guitar, upright bass, husband to Jarosz.
- Fred Eltringham – drums
- Daniel Tashian – piano, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, harmony vocals, drum programming, Rhodes piano, producer, co-writer on “Take The High Road,” “Days Can Turn Around” and “Mezcal and Lime”
- Tom Bukovac – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, B3 organ
- Justin Schipper – pedal steel
- Jon Randall – harmony vocals, co-writer on “When The Lights Go Out,” “Runaway Train” and “Don’t Break Down on Me”
- Rob McNelley – resonator guitar
- Emmanuel Valdez – acoustic guitar
- Gordie Sampson – co-writer on “When The Lights Go Out”
- Sarah Buxton – co-writer on “The Way It Is Now”
- Ruston Kelly – co-writer on “Dying Ember”
- Natalie Hemby – co-writer on “Good At What I Do”
- Justin Francis – engineered and mixed the album
- Paul Blakemore – mastered the album
Some hype for your ears!
The impassioned “When The Lights Go Out”:
(All credits and rights to Sarah Jarosz)
A song that truly showcases Jarosz’s vocals, paired with perfect instrumentation. “The Way It Is Now”:
(All credits and rights to Sarah Jarosz)
Using her own mother’s wisdom in “Days Can Turn Around”:
(All credits and rights to Sarah Jarosz)
The reflective, “Good At What I Do” complete with a polaroid lyric video:
(All credits and rights to Sarah Jarosz)
Overall, Polaroid Lovers is a fantastic album. Sarah Jarosz has established a high standard of what one should expect based on her previous discography. Polaroid Lovers finds Jarosz and the talented collaborators she works with in adventurous territory. One instance is how perfectly Jon Randall’s harmony vocals pair perfectly with Jarosz’s own lead vocals. Kudos to Jeff Picker and his impressive bass guitar and upright bass work, Fred Eltringham on his on time drumming, Daniel Tashian for producing and co-writing, guitar work, drum and piano work, and some harmony vocals. And Justin Schipper for his marvelous pedal steel work, and Tom Bukovac for his guitar and organ work. Jarosz continues to explore new ways to make music over the course of her career, and this album showcases how well she creates new compositions and new sounds amongst her previous work. She’s now Nashville based and influences with the new setting and working with different collaborators versed in non-Roots genre show up in the songwriting style, instrumentation choices and overall sound. It works so well. Polaroid Lovers is less acoustic in sound and has more folk-pop sound than any previous Jarosz solo work. To me, there is not a bad or weak song on Polaroid Lovers. Ultimately, that’s what separates average from good to excellent albums, right? This album is sure to get Jarosz nominated again for at least one song. Themes of love, reflection and examination, setting to name a few. In her YouTube videos, the use of Polaroid lyric videos is an amazing idea and brilliantly executed.
“Jealous Moon” kicks off the album with a piano riff, followed by acoustic guitar, electric guitar and drums setting tone for a more folk-pop sound to this album. The melody shimmers and pairs well with Jarosz’s vocal delivery that over the years is consistently perfect toned delivery. Her lyrics are both reflective, and yet confident and resolute.
In the song, “When The Lights Go Out” the drum programming adds a nice knocking sound. The Rhodes piano is superbly played and placed within the melody. Solid guitars add some fullness and help carry the melody while not taking away from Jarosz’s vocals. The lyrics are heavy in lust, passion and dreams (by day and night) and the lyrics mention the album title.
“Runaway Train” is a song with lyrics about falling in love. A relationship at lighting quick speed on top of a lovely melody consisting of pedal steel, drum, mandolin, and guitars. Randall’s harmony pairs perfectly with Jarosz once again.
“The Way It Is Now” features lyrics that are anxious and reflective yet also grateful after acceptance is made.
The song, “Dying Ember” kicks off in a rockin’ way. Guitars, drums and pedal steel set the melody before Jarosz’s examining lyrics. Examination of a relationship in various points of its existence. In terms of melody this is the most rock song on the album and of course it works well due to Jarosz’s vocals, the composition and instrumentation.
In “Columbus & 89th” Jarosz is reminiscing with fondness about NYC, a place she lived for a long period of time and recently left for Nashville. Sonically, there is beautiful instrumentation that really shines during solos.
“Take the High Road” has lyrics that are steadfast and stubborn as there logically is a good deal of overlap there. Jarosz’s vocal delivery paired with Jon Randall’s harmony vocals is exquisite. Melody is drum and guitar heavy with a supplemental amount of strings.
The eighth song on Polaroid Lovers, “Don’t Break Down on Me” features standout drums mandolin, pedal steel and harmony vocals paired with Jarosz’s. The guitars are top notch too. I love the refrain to hammer the message home. The lyrics are weathering a storm, hopeful to make it a spot in the rearview mirror.
“Days Can Turn Around” is a gem. Plenty of Jarosz’s mother’s wisdom in the lyrics. The melody a fabulous mix of mandolin, pedal steel, guitar, drums. And the upright bass provides a nice groove.
The song, “Good At What I Do” has lyrics that are confident. But more confidence in love and being a good partner than musical talent. Another song in which the melody pairs well with the vocal delivery and carries the message of the lyrics well. And also another song in which Randall’s harmonies compliment Jarosz’s and enhance the song.
The closing song, “Mezcal and Lime” gives off summery, tropical vibes in terms of sound. The lyrics are extremely loving and in love. The sound reminds me of something you’d hear at the Copacabana nightclub in decades past. In the best ways. The melody fits with all of the above.
Polaroid Lovers gets 4.5 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. It is an excellent album. Firmly planting feet into the pop genre sound pays off. It’s only January, but this album probably has a place amongst my top 50 albums of this year when that list is released at years end. Jarosz’s musicianship and voice shine throughout. The musicians that played various guitars, piano and keys, organ, drums, pedal steel, upright bass are excellent at what they do. Tashian shines in his man of many hats role; from producing and writing with Jarosz to being a multi-instrumentalist. Kudos to all of the co-song writers listed above the hype videos as well, they made the songs even better. Polaroid Love is worth adding to your collection on any format. Get it!
Polaroid Lovers Track listing (song length)
- Jealous Moon (4:24)
- When The Lights Go Out (3:15)
- Runaway Train (3:00)
- The Way It Is Now (3:46)
- Dying Ember (3:37)
- Columbus & 89th (4:15)
- Take the High Road (4:35)
- Don’t Break Down On Me (3:54)
- Days Can Turn Around (3:58)
- Good At What I Do (3:47)
- Mezcal and Lime (5:02)
Total runtime: 43:35
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. This process is usually an hour or less from start to finish. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, the songs that are highlighted in green font above are my favorite songs on the album.
Sarah’s website with tour info, merch and music is here.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
