Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away...

iTunes Review

Austin-based singer-songwriter Slaid Cleaves’ ninth release contains political and topical folk songs that pack a quiet punch. These are well crafted, moving songs about hopes deferred, the death of innocence, and treachery and unfairness on scales both grand and intensely personal, as revealed in such lines as, “Here comes another blown up kid from over there/making the whole world safe for the millionaires.” These are stories about small American towns and their inhabitants, both struggling to survive, delivered in a warm, understated voice that nearly belies the dark themes and words of woe. Backed by a tight yet sparse band that complements the songwriting and adds much to the album’s feel, Cleaves displays a keen lyrical eye for details and a lot of compassion for those who find themselves on the ropes. As promised in the bleak title, these are not happy songs. They’re not hopeless either and that’s part of what makes the album so poignant. In the end, the songs are about people who, despite it all, “somehow still believe in the goodness of man.” Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away is an excellent addition to an already impressive body of work.