featuring the very best of americana, alt.country and roots music
March 30, 2025
Scott Foley, purveyor of dust
If You Only Listen To One Record This Week
Sofia Jensen wrote parts of the debut Free Range record before they left their Chicago high school. Now 21, Jensen's Lost & Found (Mick Records) loosely chronicles the transition into young adulthood. With the help of producer Tommy Read, the songwriter pared the initial fifty songs to a leaner thirteen which were set to tape with bassist Bailey Minzenberger, Jack Henry on drums, and the newly arrived Andy Pk who contributes pedal steel.
Like Sun June or Why Bonnie, Free Range seesaw between noise and quiet, a lo-fi indie folk dusted with touches of country. There's a darkness around me without you, Jensen sings on "Ringing", a song that builds piece by piece, spare acoustic guitar to brushed pedal steel, piano overlaid with supporting vocals: All I want now is to go to sleep. "Service Light" seems another near lullaby, an acoustic strum over ambient birdsong. Though Jensen's voice is typically layered and mixed atop the instrumentation, there's a vulnerability to their delivery. Their voice breaks on "Faith" backed by sweet pedal steel: Tracing your outline just to prove you were here. These are among the quieter moments.
Alternately, Lost & Found can jangle and buzz with blunt grunge guitar. "Hardly" and "Concept" ensure that Free Range aren't dismissed as another bootgaze act. "Concept" presents the record's most complete and confident song, with a melodic progression and a sharp guitar break. Sofia Jensen is an admitted admirer of Elliott Smith (Bandcamp offers their acoustic cover of "Between the Bars"), an inflluence heard most readily on "Chase"
Lost & Found never relies on pretty, and even under the influence of breezy harmonica or chiming pedal steel, the songs don't fall prey to the country parody common to other young indie artists. "Big Star" recalls Waxahatchee's recent work, while the shuffling title track interrupts the laconic sway with a buzzing electric solo: I heard the sound of a fire truck / It made me reach out to touch your arm. Free Range finally fully earns their boots on "Storm", bouncy rhythms and harmonium beneath country keys and Jensen's downcast lyric: You knew then that I'd be gone / When the morning light fell in your palm.
Often, the most engaging artists are those whose development and artistic maturity happen beneath the spotlights, where we might watch a songwriter like Sofia Jensen step into their potential. There is no pretense on Lost & Found, and while Free Range's second album finds the band increasing in confidence, we're still fortunate enough to witness the edge and volatility, the sparks that can fly from a young and talented act.
This week and every week we've populated A Routes & Branches Guide To Feeding Your Monster with a steady stream of new release announcements. Latest additions have included forthcoming stuff from Gold Dust, Marc Ribot, Foxwarren, Jesse Daniel, Hallelujah the Hills and many more. Follow the link to see the entire sprawling mess.
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ROUTES-cast March 30, 2025
^ Free Range, "Big Star" Lost & Found (Mick, 25)
- Colin Miller, "Porchlight" Losin' (Mtn Laurel, Apr 25)
- This Is Lorelei, "Dancing In the Club (ft MJ Lenderman)" Box For Buddy Box For Star (Deluxe) (Double Double Whammy, Apr 25) D
- Gold Dust, "An Early Translation Of a Later Work (ft J Mascis)" In the Shade Of the Living Light (Gold Dust, May 16) D
- Foxwarren, "Listen2me" 2 (Anti, May 30) D
- Dutch Interior, "Horse" Moneyball (Fat Possum, 25)
- Hannah Cohen, "Summer Sweat" Earthstar Mountain (Bella Union, 25)
- Hallelujah the Hills, "Fake Flowers At Sunset" DECK (Discrete Pageantry, Jun 13) D
- Cass McCombs, "Priestess" single (Domino, 25) D
- Half Gringa, "Karman Line" Cosmovision (Isabel Olive, 25) D
- Julien Baker & TORRES, "Dirt" Send a Prayer My Way (Matador, Apr 18)
- Attention Bird Utopia, "Best Of Kings" Best Of Kings (here here, Jun 6)
- Rachel Brooke, "I'm Doing Just Fine" Sings Sad Songs (MAL, 25) D
- Lowtimers, "Lonely Company" Cracks (Alabama Sound Co, May 16)
- Jesse Daniel, "My Time Is Gonna Come" Son Of the San Lorenzo (Lightning Rod, Jun 6) D
- Sam Outlaw, "Do You Really Love Me" Nonessential Sam Outlaw (Black Hills, 25)
- Clover Country, "Good These Days" single (Undercover Low, 25)
- Chaparelle, "Playing Diamonds Cashing Checks" Western Pleasure (Mom + Pop, Apr 18)
- Cactus Lee, "Got a Heart Like Rainwater Blues" Cactus Lee (Western Vinyl, 25)
- Mike Frazier, "What's Wrong With Me" April Days (Geneva, Apr 25)
- Kathleen Edwards, "Traveling Alone (ft Jason Isbell)" Covers (Dualtone, 25)
- Shinyribs, "Shitty Music" Leaving Time (Nine Mile, Apr 25)
- Pug Johnson, "Waxahachie" El Cabron (Break Maiden, 25)
- Deep Dark Woods, "Ruby" single (Victory Pool, 25) D
- M Ross Perkins, "I Feel So Dumb" What's the Matter M Ross (Karma Chief, May 2)
- Palmyra, "Stones Throw" Restless (Oh Boy, 25)
- Marc Ribot, "When the World's On Fire" Map Of a Blue City (New West, May 23) D
- Susto & Holler Choir, "Double Crown" Susto Stringband Vol 1 (New West, 25)
- I'm With Her, "Find My Way To You" Wild and Clear and Blue (Rounder, May 9)
- Alison Krauss & Union Station, "North Side Gal" Arcadia (Down the Road, 25)
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To enjoy any Spotify ROUTES-cast, just open Spotify and search for "routesandbranches" to access this most recent playlist, as well as many others from past months. Or click here for a preview: