Acclaimed musician Annie Clark reaches a whole new level on her 7th studio album.

What’s there to be said about Annie Clark (know professionally by her stage name St. Vincent) that hasn’t been said already? She has an average score of 85 on Metacritic across her 7 studio albums, which indicates “Universal Acclaim” according to the website. She has 3 Grammys, including Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Song. She’s worked with the likes of David Byrne, The Chicks, Gorillaz, and she’s even got writing credits with the biggest artist on the planet, Taylor Swift (Cruel Summer). In 2020 she branched out a bit and created a mockumentary psychological thriller with “The Nowhere Inn”. At 41 years old and 21 years into her career, she’s done just about everything. And even with all that, she may have just released her best work yet.

From the opening track, Annie sets a melancholy tone that permeates throughout the rest of the album. There are moments that feel haunting, like there is something around the corner waiting to jump out at you with every guitar riff and bass line. The final track of the album is the biggest example of this phenomenon. Its reminiscent of a horror movie that take place primarily during the day; where just because there’s light and you can see, the killer will still get you and there’s nothing you can do about it. She sings on the track:

I have climbed into open arms
They turned into a straitjacket
Stolen hearts I didn’t need, but
Man, I always paid for them
I was a pantomime of a modern girl
Those were the days, and I was miserable

All Born Screaming is Annie at her absolute best, from a songwriting standpoint, to her guitar and bass work, to her lyrics. She effortlessly blends elements of art pop, alt & prog rock, and even reggae. The record is simultaneously chaotic and calculated. It weaves in and out of genres, moods, and themes while somehow managing to remain cohesive, instead of messy. While previous albums such as 2021’s Daddy’s Home had a central sound and theme, All Born Screaming abandons that notion, and turns everything up to 11. With contributions from the likes of Dave Grohl (Broken Man, Flea) and Cate Le Bon (The Power’s Out, All Born Screaming) to help her round out the sound.

It’s a record with few moments of reprieve, not just in the bpm but in the overall feel. It’s as timeless as it is modern, and won’t be soon forgotten by those that listen to it. In a perfect encapsulation of why she chose the phrase “all born screaming” for the album and final track, Clark says on the “About All Born Screaming” section on her website, “If you’re born screaming, that’s a great sign, because it means you’re breathing. You’re alive. My god. It’s joyous. And then it’s also a protest. We’re all born in protest in a certain way. It’s terrifying to be alive, it’s ecstatic to be alive. It’s everything.” Terrifying, yet ecstatic. There’s no better way to put it.

Rating: 9.7/10

By Devyn Tammons