Daughter+of+vanth

Daughter of Swords' 2019 debut, Dawnbreaker, delivered excellent, deceptively simple folk music that relied heavily on the guitar and vocals of Alex Sauser-Monnig. Listeners who fell in love with it may have expected more of the same on its follow-up. The North Carolina singer-songwriter's voice is just as prevalent and essential on Alex, but overall, Sauser-Monnig reaches less for soul-stirring acoustic and more for eye-opening pop. Amelia Meath, her former Mountain Man bandmate (and Sylvan Esso frontwoman), contributes production, vocals, writing and instrumentation, and longtime friends/collaborators like Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak) and TJ Maiani (Weyes Blood) also lend a hand. "Alone Together" immediately sets the tone with a burgeoning synth and a vocal pattern not heard on Daughter of Swords' earlier work.

A concept album loosely based on man's fascination and allure for war throughout the ages, Daughter of Time contains all the elements required to create a pure progressive rock album. Joining David Greenslade and Chris Farlowe is Louis Cennamo from Renaissance, who plucks away at the bass guitar with a heavy hand. A multitude of instruments combine to create a brilliant melange of music on every one of the eight songs. Vibrant spurts of trombone, trumpet, and flute are driven to the height of each song, which gives way to some implements of jazz fusion.