Having earned a Grammy nomination (Best Americana Album) for her breakout debut album, 2019's
Who Are You Now, and collaborated with the likes of
Andrew Bird,
Blake Mills, and
Jackson Browne in the meantime, guitarist and songwriter
Madison Cunningham also found herself opening a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden for
Harry Styles in 2021. When she was ready to record her follow-up, it was with returning producer
Tyler Chester as well as such seasoned producer/musicians as
Mike Elizondo and
Tucker Martine. The resulting Revealer is full of intricate musicianship alongside forthright observations. Meeting somewhere near the nexus between warm folk-rock, refined album rock, and jazz-tinged singer/songwriter pop, the set list greets listeners with the triplet-metered "All I've Ever Known," a re-introduction to
Cunningham's (now more prominent) nimble playing style and rhythmic exactitude. It all goes down smoothly with the singer's distinctively jazz-tinged melodies and vocals that sound benevolent even as they vent about some of the more challenging aspects of tour life. She delves into still more complex time signatures on "Collider Particles," a restrained, largely acoustic entry with its own focused criticism. Elsewhere, a couple classic rock tropes surface on "Your Hate Can Power a Train," and the hooky, plugged-in "Hospital" delivers lyrics like "Even heartache looks so easy/To a pair of grieving eyes" with not only poise but a touch of defiance. Although there are more tender moments, like the wistful, strings-accompanied ballad "Life According to Raechel," much of Revealer has had enough, calling out bad behavior, whether it be from friends, destinations, or fate. Taking on a
Sgt. Pepper's hue, the musically playful, stick-clicking closing track, "Sara and the Silent Crowd," ultimately concludes that "You hurt who you love/To be loved/And so the pattern goes." Diverging in subtle ways from her debut, Revealer's somewhat more adventurous arrangements and spirited lyrics hold a charm of their own. ~ Marcy Donelson