For My Crimes
For My Crimes keeps Marissa Nadler's music small and its feelings complicated. Her soft voice sits among acoustic guitar, strings and restrained backing. The songs often concern the tension between love and separation. Small memories make clear how difficult that space can be.
The title track provides a strong opening. Nadler takes the perspective of someone awaiting execution, but makes the story primarily personal and vulnerable. Angel Olsen's backing voice and Janel Leppin's strings enlarge the feeling. The arrangement stays spare enough to give the singing plenty of room.
I Can't Listen to Gene Clark Anymore makes something ordinary painful. Music once shared in a relationship becomes a memory better avoided. Sharon Van Etten adds vocals and the strings give the melody extra warmth. The song needs little emphasis to communicate its subject.
Blue Vapor introduces more movement. Guitar carries heavier reverb and the song builds towards stronger drums. That gives the record a clear peak. The larger sound grows from the atmosphere already present, making the outburst fit the surrounding material.
Cohesion sometimes becomes a limitation afterwards. Several songs have similar vocal lines and simple, slow movements. Differences consequently blur, especially when the record stays in the same mood for longer. The beautiful arrangements do not solve this everywhere.
Closer Said Goodbye to that Car again shows how well Nadler can use a small detail. Saying goodbye to a car carries the memory of an entire period. For My Crimes works best when such concrete images give a simple song greater meaning. The record offers less variety than its strongest moments promise, but remains sincere and particularly carefully made.
