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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. "Talk To You" affirms that the opener isn't a wild hair, but an introduction to a new formula. Hand claps and party rhythms accentuate the repeating phrase, "I really want to talk to you/ I really wanna know you," while also supporting the entire song. Dawnbreaker's pop explorations come explicitly through on "Money Hits," which is flecked with breezy Sheryl Crow-like moments, but both "Morning in Madison" and "Willow" sound like natural progressions from Dawnbreaker with their spare saxophone and piano parts (courtesy of Matt Douglas and Nick Sanborn, respectively). "Song" fully recalls the melancholic vibe of earlier work before "West of West" picks it up just a touch to close out this Qobuzissime-awarded sophomore record. The progression may be initially jarring, but Alex exemplifies how good songwriters can change styles and still deliver well past expectations. © Jeff Laughlin/Qobuz
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Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Jenn Wasner, Guitar - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Drums, Guitar, Programming & Keyboards, Bass - TJ Maiani, Drums - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer, Writer, Programming & Keyboards - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Guitar, Piano, Programming & Keyboards, Synthesizer - Nicholas Sanborn, Writer - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer - Industrial Felt, MusicPublisher - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher - La Ad Infinitum, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer, Drums, Vocals, Writer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Guitar, Programming & Keyboards, Bass, Synthesizer - Nicholas Sanborn, Writer - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer, Piano - Industrial Felt, MusicPublisher - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher - La Ad Infinitum, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Piano, Bass - Nicholas Sanborn, Writer - Matt Douglas, Saxophone - TJ Maiani, Drums - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer - Industrial Felt, MusicPublisher - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Drums, Guitar, Piano, Programming & Keyboards, Bass - Nicholas Sanborn, Writer - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer - Industrial Felt, MusicPublisher - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer, Vocals - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Guitar, Bass - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer, Drums - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Piano, Bass - Matt Douglas, Saxophone - TJ Maiani, Drums - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Bass - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Drums, Guitar, Bass, Synthesizer - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Guitar, Programming & Keyboards, Bass, Synthesizer - TJ Maiani, Drums - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer, Shaker - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Drums, Piano, Programming & Keyboards, Bass, Synthesizer - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Synthesizer - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Alli Rogers, Engineer - Matt Colton, Masterer - Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Writer - Amelia Meath, Producer - Nick Sanborn, Producer, Piano, Programming & Keyboards, Bass, Harmonium - Matt Douglas, Saxophone - TJ Maiani, Drums - Daughter of Swords, MainArtist - Caleb Wright, Producer, Mixer - Alex Sauser-Monnig, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Universe Wave Publishing, MusicPublisher
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
Review: Daughter of Swords - Alex
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. "Talk To You" affirms that the opener isn't a wild hair, but an introduction to a new formula. Hand claps and party rhythms accentuate the repeating phrase, "I really want to talk to you/ I really wanna know you," while also supporting the entire song. Dawnbreaker's pop explorations come explicitly through on "Money Hits," which is flecked with breezy Sheryl Crow-like moments, but both "Morning in Madison" and "Willow" sound like natural progressions from Dawnbreaker with their spare saxophone and piano parts (courtesy of Matt Douglas and Nick Sanborn, respectively). "Song" fully recalls the melancholic vibe of earlier work before "West of West" picks it up just a touch to close out this Qobuzissime-awarded sophomore record. The progression may be initially jarring, but Alex exemplifies how good songwriters can change styles and still deliver well past expectations. © Jeff Laughlin/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:36:02
- Main artists: Daughter of Swords
- Label: Psychic Hotline
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2025 Psychic Hotline 2025 Psychic Hotline
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