NEW ALBUMS
ANDREW COMBS
Sundays LOOSE
8/10
Nashville-based Texan rings the changes on beguiling fifth
Anyone familiar with Combs’ previous work may be surprised at his turn of form here. Gone is his rootsy Americana, largely replaced by existential folk-soul burnished by subtle shades of leftfield jazz. Combs’ personal crisis at the end of 2020, and his subsequent discovery of meditation, appears to have caused the shift, making for some thoroughly arresting moments that fall midway between Justin Vernon and Scott Walker. Woodwinds and delicate vocals make for a recurring dialogue, at its most potent on the baroque “Drivel To A Dream” and “Anna Please”, which takes inspiration from Ingmar Bergman.