In following up 2016's excellent
Beyond the Bloodhounds,
Adia Victoria both deepens her arresting Southern poeticism and takes a significant sonic leap beyond her indie blues origins. On
Silences, the singer/songwriter's sophomore set, the melting pot of swampy blues, folk, and garage punk that marked her debut has given way to a more exploratory and layered approach. Recording in Upstate New York with co-producer
Aaron Dessner (
the National),
Victoria frames her 12 varied missives against a backdrop of subtle electronic noise, austere string and brass orchestrations, and tensely cinematic indie rock. While the blues are not absent from this set, they are transmuted to something more ephemeral and adapted to whatever climate or situation suits the artist's needs. A native of South Carolina who did stints in New York, Atlanta, and Europe before calling Nashville home,
Victoria's prickly relationship with the South remains a throughline in her music, and she pulls no punches grappling with its deep-rooted influence. Whether slaying spiritual deities on the dramatic "Clean" or coming to terms with demons on the
Fiona Apple-sque "Devil Is a Lie," she plays on her own mercurial nature, delivering a devastating emotional blow followed by a playful wink. Of
Silences' more pop-driven arrangements, "The City" and "Get Lonely" reveal her aptitude for silvery synth-led fare, while the more organic swagger of songs like "Pacolet Road" and "Dope Queen Blues" build on her previously established strengths. Combative, defiant, and teeming with
Victoria's distinctive mix of streetwise poeticism and literary depth,
Silences is a strong and inventive follow-up. ~ Timothy Monger
