Sharon Van Etten opened her set with “Serpents” and I’m mouthing every word,. Ever since Because I Was In Love, I’ve been hopelessly head-over-heels in love with this woman who somehow turns her wounds into powerful salves for others. I especially love “Serpents” for the way it distills the poisonous and insidious influence of someone else on our very thoughts — how those abuses stay with us, curled up in corners. She performed a brand new song called “All Over Again.” From there, she ran through her extensive catalogue, including another newer track “I Don’t Want To Let You Down” that leads off her forthcoming EP of the same name. Even when she’s singing about dark moments, her stage banter is bright and unassuming, including her enthusiasm that she was sharing a bill with Björk, who performed later that night. I hadn’t seen Sharon live since the release of Tramp in 2012, and watching “Your Love Is Killing Me” and “Break Me” issue straight from her mouth was moving, even in mid-afternoon heat. Sharon Van Etten is such an important figure in the indie rock scene because she’s one of very few women completely dominating it, but also because she sings about topics that are far too often taboo or hidden in our culture like abuse and depression. For this rendition of “Break Me,” she looped her own voice caught in a ghostly wail, singing lyrics like “He can break me/ With one hand to my head” over this mournful admission. Perhaps Van Etten is strongest when she’s laughing at the pain, though by the time she gets to her closer, “Every Time The Sun Comes Up” off 2014’s excellent Are We There, we’re all smiling again.
The Fat Angel Sings 