During the seven years between
Cloak and Cipher and
Life After Youth,
Land of Talk's Elizabeth Powell went through a difficult stretch that made her consider giving up music. A 2011 laptop crash wiped out her demos, while caring for her father after his stroke in 2013 meant music was the farthest thing from her mind for several years. With some encouragement from her father, however, she began writing songs again, and
Life After Youth's words and music are indelibly imprinted by her time away. Powell explores psychological and physical healing on these songs, imbuing
Cloak and Cipher's smoothness with elements of the classical, ambient, and tonkori music she and her father listened to during his recovery. The title
Life After Youth implies a maturity that manifests itself as a clear-eyed appreciation for life's possibilities, and on the album's gripping opening trio of songs, she pushes forward instead of holding back in fear. The joyous "Yes You Were" bursts out of the gate, as if powered by seven years' worth of impatience; "This Time," one of several songs featuring
Sharon Van Etten, distills the hope and poignancy of second chances, and the gloriously
Fleetwood Mac-like "Loving" is a testament to living in the moment. Powell captures all the emotions of the healing process subtly and sensitively, letting strength and uncertainty duke it out and allowing somber tracks to coexist with the ones that glow with newfound potential. She splits the difference on the striking "Inner Lover," which is driven by a fragile but unflagging synth motif as she implores someone, perhaps herself, to take care of her. Here and throughout the album, her voice is more graceful and flowing than ever, but on songs like "What Was I Thinking?" and "Spiritual Intimidation," the ache travels from her heart to her throat with nothing lost in translation. The light touch Powell has with deeply felt emotions on this album is a rare combination that grows richer with each listen; she sounds older and wiser but also happier, suggesting that
Life After Youth is just the beginning. [
Life After Youth was also released on LP.] ~ Heather Phares