by Shane O’Malley Firek
It may have all appeared a dream for Anna Burch, former bassist of Detroit folk phenoms Frontier Ruckus, to have her first record picked up by the legendary Polyvinyl Records. Following the release of critically acclaimed Quit The Curse and an extremely demanding touring schedule in the US and Europe (supporting Mister Heavenly, Ezra Furman, and Speedy Ortiz), Burch undoubtedly had her sights on something new and intentional. One can imagine a collection of songs being gathered and formed in hotel rooms in Colorado, green rooms in Paris, melodies whispered into her iPhone at LAX.
Burch and drummer Matt Rickle took a drive last year from Detroit to Flying Cloud Studios, the Catskill home of producer Sam Owens (Sam Evian) and singer-songwriter Hannah Cohen. Avoiding the drawn-out process of arrangement and mixing that Quit The Curse was founded upon, Burch and Owens took to setting limitations, particularly on time. The focused writing and arranging in this mountain home certainly garnished a more relaxed yet precise studio environment.
The result, If You’re Dreaming, is a collection of meditations, both of isolation and weariness, that veers from her debut in more ways than one. It uncovers a lighter touch that lends itself to Burch’s voice, along with several instrumentals that help to move the record along.
“Party’s Over” cements the ethos of weariness and comes off similar to her debut with bright, jangly guitars over a solid, mid-tempo groove. “Not So Bad,” the lead single, carries the dog ear of Owens’ own debut as Sam Evian, with a swirling guitar that reminisces of Mac Demarco, with the stellar saxophone work of Owens swirling in and out. “Our love is a picture show/it plays in my head alone” Burch states, paving it’s own place in your head as well.
Further along, Burch sings “When I used to hate myself/I saw things so clearly” with such an endearing lilt that I’m convinced “Tell Me What’s True” is the centerpiece and root of this record. A simple pairing of just Rhodes, bass guitar, and drums, it breaks completely from what would be expected, creating a sort of gravitas for all the songs surrounding it.
The record ends at “Here With You,” an acoustic ballad that feels dynamically mature and lyrically wise. It’s the closing of a chapter, illustrating that at the end of all the hype, the touring, the attention, there truly is a moment of peace for Burch. Here’s to hoping she has found just that.