“Lark” — Angel Olsen
Earth-shattering vocals, all-encompassing orchestral backing sounds and lyrics about defying an expired relationship are featured in Angel Olsen’s opening track, “Lark,” to her loudest, boldest and most dynamic album to date — All Mirrors. As the song begins, Olsen’s voice quivers at the thought of starting over with an ex-romantic partner, someone who puts their needs before her own, as reflected in the lyrics. “To forget you is to hide, there’s still so much left to recover /If only we could start again, pretending we don’t know each other,” she sings. In its accompanying music video, the indie folk singer-songwriter finds solace in nature. Shots of fights, scenes of both fire and rain and primarily, a breakup scene with her significant other then transition to her climbing mountains as she begins to prioritize herself in the lyrics. “You say you love every single part / What about my dreams?” she sings over and over as her vocals roar and the words become a resonant echo. The track shifts from moments of delicate verses to choruses of explosive, violin-backed intensity, while transitioning into each other seamlessly. Olsen captures a narrative that many can relate to regarding modern romantic partnerships— struggles of power and questioning one’s own self-worth, and it ultimately ends with a woman’s resilience backed by haunting yet forceful instrumentals.
