Singer/songwriter/guitarist
Jess Abbott
first began releasing solo material as
Tancred
in 2011 while a member of the Minneapolis indie rock group
Now, Now
. Seven years later, her fourth
LP,
Nightstand
, is her first after parting ways with the band and relocating back to her home state of Maine. While the project began with a collection of relatively restrained, introspective home recordings, she quickly became associated with a more aggressive, '90s-inspired alt-rock sound, if one tempered by bright hooks and melodicism. On
, she almost splits the difference, softening her tone but not abandoning the crunchy effervescence of prior albums. It opens with a dreamy keyboards-and-strings prologue about unrequited love, easing listeners into its less defiant front before launching into the driving "Queen of New York." The latter's choruses feature a big vocal melody and churning, harmonic guitars, though the verses contrast with staccato guitar, bass, and drums, serving mostly to mark time. Another uptempo anthem, "Something Else," has melodic guitar hooks, a rumbling low end, and singalong backing vocals for a lively, full-range impact. Much of the album, however, balances acoustic moments with a full rock band, and takes on a more thoughtful demeanor. "Apple Tree Girl" is one such track, opening with acoustic guitar and earnest vocals, adding strings before it picks up a rhythm section and electric instruments. The closer, "Rowing," even adds accordion to the mix (in reference to street musicians) alongside grungier tendencies. The album was recorded with
Lewis Pesacov
(
Best Coast
,
Valley Queen
), whose studio reportedly offered more options in terms of instruments and gear than
Abbott
had had before. Altogether, the finished recordings take on a more vulnerable, nuanced tone while at the same time sounding more effortless than she ever has before. ~ Marcy Donelson