Review / 200 Words Or Less
St. Vincent
Marry Me

Beggars Banquet (2007) — Graham Isador

St. Vincent – Marry Me cover artwork
St. Vincent – Marry Me — Beggars Banquet, 2007

Those familiar with Sufjan Stevens or The Polyphonic Spree might recognize Annie Clark for her accompaniment to their most recent tours and discs. Earlier this year the multitalented indie rock darling released her first solo LP under the stage name St. Vincent. Like the aforementioned bands, Clark pushes forward her fair share of quirks in the triumphant debut that is Marry Me, with songs like "Jesus Saves, I Spend" and "Human Racing" leaving the listener pleasantly bemused. Contrarily the album's piano ballads work to highlight the songstress' beautiful voice and songwriting ability. While lacking in some of the pop sensibility that make many her genre's female contemporaries so successful, St. Vincent utilizes a wide variety of instrumentation to create a distinguishably unique sound. A dryly dark and romantic collection Marry Me easily fits among the best albums of the year, and promises great things for the blossoming musician.

St. Vincent – Marry Me cover artwork
St. Vincent – Marry Me — Beggars Banquet, 2007

Recently-posted album reviews

Roky Erickson And The Aliens

The Evil One (deluxe edition)
Fire Records (2026)

I feel very fortunate to have seen Roky Erickson perform live at SXSW backed by Okkervil River in 2010 or 2011. Erickson passed away in 2019 at the age of 71. For those of you who aren’t already disciples, Roky Erickson was the lead vocalist of legendary Texas psych rockers 13th Floor Elevators. Recorded after the breakup of the Elevators … Read more

Mike D

Thank You
Capitol (2026)

Beastie Boys were a huge part of my transition from teenager into adulthood. An album for every stage of their growth musically matched the many chapters of my own personal development. Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D were like cherished friends for my earholes. The world mourned together when we lost Adam Yauch to cancer in 2012 and were heartbroken knowing … Read more

Softjaw

Love Can't Kill You
Bachelor Records, Dandy Boy Records (2026)

I already wrote about these dudes in my mid-year top 5 since Oakland’s Dandy Boy Records released a compilation of their early digital singles back in April, and here they are following it up with a 12-song album of all new material! This second release proves Long Beach’s Softjaw have a masters in powerpop from the school of rock. I’m … Read more