The sea of folk singer-songwriters is vast and oftentimes difficult to wade through, especially when a first and last name don’t hint at a sound or image quite like a band or stage name does. New Zealander Aldous Harding swoops in with Party, her sophomore album — and first for independent luminary 4AD — brandishing a voice and flair for theatrical storytelling so singular and visceral that the ocean doesn’t feel quite so big anymore. Songs like the title track, “What If Birds Aren’t Singing They’re Screaming,” and the Perfume Genius-assisted “Imagine My Man” showcase the span of Harding’s diverse intonations and characters, all with a gripping immediacy meant to make certain her name doesn’t get lost at sea.
Aldous Harding (Photo by Cat Stevens)