For over a decade,
Austin Crane
has operated under the
Valley Maker
banner, creating evocative indie folk-rock layered with rich sonic textures and compelling lyrics that dance between the human, natural, and spiritual worlds. A South Carolina native,
Crane
's project largely came to fruition while living in Seattle, where he earned his PhD in human geography. His most recent record, 2018's enchanting
Rhododendron
, was recorded in Portland with
Toro y Moi
(aka
Chaz Bundick
). Now back in Columbia, South Carolina,
melds some of that album's spacious aesthetic with an earthy depth on
When the Day Leaves
, his fourth
album. Set against a mix of fingerpicked acoustic and ruggedly distorted electric guitars,
's languid drawl details life in various states of change. Occasional adornments of flute and the dulcet harmonies of longtime collaborator
Amy Godwin
help lift songs like "Branch I Bend" and the lovely "Mockingbird" up above the fog, while weightier cuts like "Instrument" and "On a Revelation" seem deeply rooted in the earth. Like most of
's other releases,
feels like a single interconnected work full of stormy moods and thoughtful meditations. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of sonic variance, and despite the quality of his lyrics, the songs tend to run together in a long midtempo march of woodsy introspections. ~ Timothy Monger