Anyone reckless enough to have typecast Angel Olsen according to 2013’s ‘Burn Your Fire For No Witness’ is in for a rethink with her third album, ‘My Woman’. The crunchier, blown-out production of the former is gone but that fire is burning wilder. Her disarming, timeless voice is even more front-and-centre yet the strange, raw power and slowly unspooling incantations of her previous efforts remain. Over two previous albums she gave us reverb-shrouded poetic swoons, shadowy folk, grunge pop band workouts and haunting, finger-picked epics. ‘My Woman’ is an exhilarating complement to her past work and one for which Olsen recalibrated her writing / recording approach and methods to enter a new music-making phase. As the record evolves, one gets the sense that the ‘my woman’ of the title is Olsen herself, absolutely in command but also willing to bend with the influence of collaborators and circumstances. An intuitively smart, warmly communicative and fearlessly generous record, ‘My Woman’ speaks to everyone.

Massively anticipated second album from crooner queen Angel Olsen. We personally cannot wait: whilst the singles point to a diversion from the delicate gloom of 'Burn Your Fire', they sound no less fit-to-burst with emotion and feeling (see 'Shut Up Kiss Me'). An incredible vocalist with an excellent ear for melody, backed by a band who balance perfectly where grit meets soulfulness. Hopefully there are surprises along the way.

By Ben Myers