PINEGROVE - Skylight 2xLP (Clear Vinyl)

Label: Self-Released

Fronted by mercurial singer/songwriter Evan Stephens Hall, the group's mix of ragged, emo-tinged indie rock and introspective Americana struck a chord with fans and critics, landing them on a number of high-profile year-end lists and increasing their national visibility significantly.

In keeping with their previous albums, Skylight was self-recorded, this time at a house the band was renting in Upstate New York, and after sessions wrapped up, they'd even gotten as far as releasing its lead single, the moody, slow-building "Intrepid," in early November 2017.

The self-released set is a beautifully written and wholly engaging successor to Cardinal, building on that album's searching emotional tone with sharper songwriting and curious allusions to deep self-reflection and bettering one's path among this achingly human collection which, for better or for worse, remains tied to a hurtful public affair that can be heard retroactively within its seams.