We love the latest gently burning release from Waxahatchee. ‘Fire’ is in fact the lead single from Katie Crutchfield’s forthcoming album, Saint Cloud, and therefore setting the tone for what we expect to be a nourishing listening experience. The song is peppered with sage lyrics, such as “Tomorrow could feel like a hundred years later; / I’m wiser and slow and attuned,” sung in Crutchfield’s distinctive vocal over a steadily progressing alt-rock backdrop. There’s nothing flashy or in-your-face about ‘Fire’, rather it’s a quiet conversation from the songwriter to herself. As explained: “It's about the internal dialogue of shame surrounding mistakes you've made in the past and how we spiral and beat ourselves up when we slip. It's meant to be a bit of a personal pep talk. If I can love myself unconditionally, then I can move through the world a little easier. If I can accept that I only have a partial view of the universe, and that I can't know everything or control much of anything, then I can breathe a little easier, take better care of myself, and be closer to my own truth." With such a beautifully honest opening, Saint Cloud promises to be as emotional and turbulent as all of Waxahatchee’s releases. Look out for the album on March 27th via Merge Records. - Hannah Thacker   [Photo credit: Molly Matalon]