Albums to watch

Burn Your Fire For No Witness

Angel Olsen

Burn Your Fire For No Witness

Second album of lo-fi garage rock from Missouri-born singer-songwriter produced by John Congleton (Bill Callahan, St Vincent)

ADM rating[?]

8.2

Label
Jagjaguwar
UK Release date
17/02/2014
US Release date
18/02/2014
  1. 10.0 |   Daily Telegraph

    It's intense, persuasive stuff. Print edition only

  2. 9.6 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    Benefit greatly from the heightened sense of clarity afforded by the more specious arrangements
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  3. 9.3 |   Paste Magazine

    Angel Olsen’s beautiful, sad and, ultimately, useful sophomore album, Burn Your Fire for No Witness is not something to be objective about.
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  4. 9.1 |   Consequence Of Sound

    It’s her honest lyrics that carry the album, with heartbreaking, insightful lines revealing themselves on each listen
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  5. 9.0 |   The 405

    It's a record that doesn't escape life but deconstructs and reconsiders its place within it
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  6. 9.0 |   NME

    Her first album recorded with a full band, though the resulting fuzzy glam swagger doesn't forsake her wise style
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  7. 9.0 |   Art Rocker

    Listening to this record feels like gorging yourself; I just wanted to consume it
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  8. 9.0 |   Entertainment.ie

    Everything that's good about rock music can be found etched in the pain and beauty of these gripping, compelling songs. Highly recommended
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  9. 8.5 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Angel Olsen gently stuns all in earshot with a record equally exultant as it is despondent
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  10. 8.3 |   Pitchfork

    Burn Your Fire for No Witness conjures the past without ever imitating it, swirling its influences into something intimate, impressionistic and new
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  11. 8.3 |   A.V. Club

    There’s an inherent risk in a voice as powerful as Olsen’s. It’s a winning hand other singer-songwriters could easily overplay, pushing every song to histrionics, but even on an album as brash as Burn Your Fire, Olsen knows when to pull back
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  12. 8.0 |   All Music

    With Burn Your Fire for No Witness, Olsen expands in all directions, fully reaching the depth of expression hinted at on her last album
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  13. 8.0 |   Independent on Sunday

    Should thrust her centre stage. Print edition only

  14. 8.0 |   State

    A simple but vulnerable and absolutely sublime album, if this lady doesn’t stir some emotion in you, then you’re probably the person she’s singing about
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  15. 8.0 |   Under The Radar

    She still sings prettily, and can prove it when doubted, but Olsen is more than willing to ugly it up so her songs can speak for themselves
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  16. 8.0 |   The Digital Fix

    The skill on show here is to make something personal and intimate into something accessible and exciting
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  17. 8.0 |   The Quietus

    Progression is a great thing to hear in any artist's work, and there's plenty of that to the largely excellent Burn Your Fire
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  18. 8.0 |   DIY

    Admitting that sometimes life will drag you down, it still manages to peer out to the other side, blistering sunlight shining straight through
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  19. 8.0 |   Time Out

    This is the sound of all manner of things – hearts, a career and occasionally (if you rub her up the wrong way) the world – catching fire
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  20. 8.0 |   Evening Standard

    She has a rather fine voice that hovers between the ethereal and the belting
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  21. 8.0 |   The FT

    Like its riddling title, Burn Your Fire for No Witness leaves us wanting to find out more
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  22. 8.0 |   The Observer

    Olsen's quaver holds your gaze, using her vibrato for effect, not whining or crumbling
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  23. 8.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    In spite of its gloomier mood, it’s a record every bit as spirited as Half Way Home, and possibly even more affecting
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  24. 8.0 |   Q

    Songs that can be stabled alongside both the unearthly fables of Red Apple Falls-era Smog and the off-grid confessionals of Cat Power. Print edition only

  25. 8.0 |   Uncut

    She sets out to emotionally devastate herself in every song. Print edition only

  26. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Olsen's imposing vocal range is now matched by a similarly expansive stylistic waterfront. Print edition only

  27. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    Frankly, she could be singing The Birdy Song and it would sound sad. It would probably sound lovely, too
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  28. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    An engrossing record
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  29. 8.0 |   Slant Magazine

    Strikes a careful balance between its lyrics' pointed self-criticism and the music's stoner atmospherics
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  30. 8.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    Exceptional fare throughout
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  31. 8.0 |   The Skinny

    An album of true beauty
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  32. 7.5 |   Pretty Much Amazing

    Angel Olsen deserves a larger audience. Check back in a week – I may still remember why
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  33. 7.0 |   musicOMH

    When Olsen does get it right – as she does on the gorgeous closer Windows – the results are remarkable
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  34. 7.0 |   Spin

    The good songs on Burn Your Fire for No Witness suggest Olsen is figuring out how to sound — how to resound, actually
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  35. 7.0 |   Rolling Stone

    It's a balanced album by a spirit who seems anything but
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