Waxahatchee is an indie project formed in 2010 by Kathryn Crutchfield following the breakup of her band P.S. Eliot, which was a collaboration between Crutchfield and her twin sister, Allison. Her choice of the name Waxahatchee comes from the Waxahatchee creek in Alabama, where she grew up. Although, etymologically, it comes from the Muscogee words Waksvlke, a clan name, and hacci, meaning stream. Crutchfield released her first album under Waxahatchee in 2012 with the publication of American Weekend. The record was recorded in Crutchfield’s bedroom for under a week and was considered to be one of the best albums of 2012 by Dusted Magazine and The New York Times. On June 11, 2012, her track “Be Good” was named song of the day on NPR.
Crutchfield rode her high off the album, with her second critically acclaimed record, Cerulean Salt, being released in 2013. Her album’s popularity would earn her a spot as a supporting act for the indie duo Teagan and Sara, and later, in 2015, after the release of her third studio album Ivy Tripp, she toured with Kurt Vile and the Violators and Sleater Kinney. In 2017, when Crutchfield released her fourth album, Out in the Storm, it notably took a different style from her previous records, moving slightly away from the lo-fi sound of her older albums. She would release her fifth album, Saint Cloud, three years later. Her most popular album so far, and the record featured today, Tigers Blood, was released in March of 2024, which garnered Crutchfield her first Grammy nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Americana Album.
Tigers Blood ( 2024 ):
Crutchfield’s unique Americana, lo-fi folk sound is one of her biggest draws to her popularity, but it is clear that her lyrics have evolved in this record as well, telling stories of fights with loved ones, broken friendships, and bloody romances. Tigers Blood spans a length of around forty-two minutes, including twelve tracks, each song written by Crutchfield herself. The sound of the album is so different from that of past records, taking a much more country and heavy folk sound and moving away from her past lo-fi style. Tigers Blood was worshiped in the music world last year, earning dazzling review after review, with many praising Crutchfield for her reliable but poetic lyrics. Music Magazine Pitchfork even named Tigers Blood as number three on their 50 Best Albums of 2024, the record ranked number three on both Exclaim! and Consequences’s top 50 lists.
Evil Spawn:
“Evil Spawn” is the second track on Tigers Blood and a great introduction to the album’s overall vibe. There’s a spunky sound that mixes nicely with MJ Lenderman’s harmonization and the uplifting drum beats. There is almost something comical about the use of the term “evil spawn”, a phrase I can only picture Cristina Yang from Grey’s Anatomy saying. The evil spawn isn’t a person in this case, but a phase of growth, the repeated lyrics of “In the final acts of the good old days” talk about growing and changing, the evil spawn being what we leave behind in the end.
Right Back to It:
“Right Back to It” was Tiger Blood’s leading single, released early on January 9, 2024, to promote the record. The song had been a work in progress since 2021 when Crutchfield first recorded the melody as a voice memo. In 2022, she met guitarist MJ Lenderman at the music festival South by Southwest; he would contribute harmony vocals and electric guitar on the track. “Right Back to It” feels like driving down Route 66, running from the cops. Crutchfield’s lyrics tell a story of a wild but tender romance that is strong enough to survive through the hard times of life.
Tigers Blood:
“Tigers Blood” is the final track of the record, the slow introduction of the layered vocals at the end of the song, getting stronger and stronger as the song builds is one of the song’s highlights. The song feels like the ending of a good movie, watching the protagonists get everything they’ve always wanted as the sun fades and they can finally relax. When I picture listening to “Tiger’s Blood” I can picture myself laying on my roof in a sweltering late summer night as the heat becomes consuming. That’s how powerful this song is, that it can transport you to a nostalgic memory.
Waxahatchee redefines modern country and folk music. Her unique blend of the two genres, combined with her unconventional voice, creates a star in the making. With her records considered to be some of the best of their genres and years, there is no doubt that Crutchfield will continue to produce fantastic music for years to come, sticking to her indie roots.
