Wendy Eisenberg’s collection of poignant songs settles like a bowl of warm soup: rich, comforting, and familiar. A prolific musician and collaborator, Eisenberg seamlessly shapeshifts between free improvisation, experimental, rock, and the cracks in between. Their self-titled album is nestled in the realm of modern folk, with earnest lyrics that venture into intimacy, transitions, and the challenging work of knowing oneself. A hypnotic emo guitar riff grounds “Vanity Paradox,” a master class in songwriting in which Eisenberg wrestles with self-perception through sped-up and spiralled-out lyric delivery. In “Another Lifetime Floats Away,” aging, being present, and the passage of time are ruminated upon in a relatable way, as Eisenberg wistfully sings, “I’m twenty, I’m driving, I’m having fun,” followed by “I’m lonely, got busy, ran into the ground.” While their brilliance is apparent in the complexities of melodic and conceptual material, the perfection of the opening track lies in its simplicity. It ends with a plainly asked yet weighty question: “Did you feel yourself change?”
Eisenberg’s writing is organic and diligent. Every arrangement feels miraculously composed, with their crystalline voice crisply mixed on top, yet each song takes modest twists and turns in meter and harmony that knock them off-centre. Longtime collaborators Trevor Dunn, Ryan Sawyer, and Mari Rubio fortify the soundworld—in particular, Rubio’s strings imbue their partner’s music with care. It’s a timeless record deserving of its self-titled designation: a definitive statement to Eisenberg’s enduring artistic vision.
YAZ LANCASTER is a transdisciplinary artist residing in Lenapehoking (New York City). Their work as a performer, composer, poet/writer, and collaborator is grounded in queer, DIY, and liberatory frameworks.