The title of Margo Price’s new Strays (Loma Vista), and its off-season delivery, might lead the wary to assume the album is composed of B-sides and leftovers. In reality, Price and her husband Jeremy Ivey crafted these songs carefully during lockdown, then fleshed them out with guests like Lucius and Sharon Van Etten. The result is the finest work by far from the alt-country queen.
The opening track, “Been to the Mountain,” hits the listener with the fervor of early Patti Smith. Even many that start slow, like “Light Me Up,” turn raucous by mid-track. One true slow, sad country song, “County Road,” entrances listeners with a perfect steel guitar. Price has offered a portfolio of fine albums over the past decade or so, but the new one belongs in that rare category of every track hovering close to perfect.
Also New & Noteworthy
Belle and Sebastian, Late Developers (Matador) – It’s been only eight months since the Scottish ensemble’s last album, but bandleader Stuart Murdoch said the opportunity to co-write songs with producer Peter “Wuh Oh” Ferguson justified a rapid return with 11 new tunes. Almost every song represents a new milestone for the band, whether it’s Stevie Jackson’s vocals in “So In the Moment,” the Motown-style horns of “Evening Star,” or the forthright nostalgia of “When We Were Very Young.” Some 1990s fans may rue a Belle and Sebastian that sponsors musical ocean cruises, but few could slander music this good.
Freja the Dragon, Midnight Feelings (Villa) – Swedish producer Freja Drakenberg was last heard from in 2020’s “Long Gone Girl,” so this second EP of four tracks should be considered something to whet the appetite, with lush arrangements and a guest appearance from Peter Bjorn and John. The tunes are memorable enough to gain a bigger audience, but are bound to have fans expecting an encore.