Songlights for a New Start: Part Two — Wednesday, Sarah McLachlan, Big Thief, Spyboy, Kae Tempest, Ezra Furman, Ashley Monroe, and more

I began writing about music in my childhood, half a century ago. Rather than keep a diary, I wrote reviews of my favorite albums and movies. And I just never stopped doing that. I wrote music reviews for my university newspaper, and eventually contributed a column on music for the site Christ and Pop Culture.

But from the beginning, I was interested in more than just the emotional experience of music. I cared about production quality. I didn’t want a scratched record, a radio station crowded with static, or a cassette tape with distortion or hiss. I cared about musicianship. I wanted to be impressed by skill and surprised by imagination in the performances and the arrangements. And I cared about lyrics as much or more than anything else. It mattered to me what they were singing. I realized early on that I could quickly become bored by straightforward, preachy, or merely confessional writing. I wanted to sing lyrics that would continue to surprise me as I considered possible interpretations. My love of songwriting was the beginning of what would become my passion for poetry.

In my online writing, I have always sought to highlight music that was composed in the expectation that we would pay close attention, listen more than once, and then think about and talk about what we're hearing and receiving.

As we begin this new chapter, here at jeffreyoverstreet.com, of my adventures in looking and listening closer, I make my readers a promise: I will strive to give extra attention to artists who may lack the advantages that come with cultural privilege.

These are, as I'm sure you've noticed, dangerous times for anyone who isn't part of a dominant cultural majority. Those who have privilege and power are doing all they can to increase their advantages and their fortunes, and to defend their perceived supremacy. In doing so, they inflict great harm upon others, dehumanizing them. America, in particular, seems to be under siege right now from forces that favor wealthy white men, and others who seek their favor by enabling and endorsing them. As I myself am a white, male, American, I receive tremendous powers and privileges that I do not deserve, and that come at the expense of my neighbors. As I am a follower of Jesus, I’m particularly interested in giving attention to others in my community—including the community of artists—who are at a disadvantage, that lack any particular privilege.

So I’m giving my fellow American white dudes a rest on this post. With the exception of a track from an upcoming Emmylou Harris release on which the great Buddy Miller sings lead, I'm kicking off my music coverage with a playlist of outstanding releases from women and from trans artists. And — I'm delighted to report this — I did not do this intentionally. The fact of the matter is that the music I've found most inspirational and exciting in recent weeks has come from the artists you’ll find in this program of songs.

Okay — enough about injustice. I love music. This website exists so that I can share the art that moves me, inspires me, and has a lasting and meaningful influence on me.

Here we go. What am I most excited about this week?

Wednesday, whose album Rat Saw God was the runner-up for my favorite album of the year two years ago, are back with another strong contender for the top spot on this year's list. I love the single that's been around for a while — “Elderberry Wine” — which I featured in an earlier edition of Songlights. But here’s the song that's in heavy rotation now that the album is here:

Wednesday, "Wound Up Here (By Holding On)"

Sarah McLachlan, "If This is the End"

I did not have “Sarah McLachlan Apocalypse Lament” on my 2025 New Music Bingo Card, but here we are. Thirty years ago, McLachlan's album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy made me a fan. As the visionary behind Lilith Fair, she had a lot to do with awakening me to the disadvantages stacked against women in music, and highlighting artists I would admire and celebrate. It's been more than a decade since we've heard from her, and I’m delighted to find that she’s still capable of arresting my attention and moving me with sincerity, conscience, and courage.

“If This is the End” sounds to me like bittersweet expression of faith — faith in the Great Mystery that promises a new earth, some manner of renewal and resurrection beyond this present darkness of humankind's satanic self-destruction.

Emmylou Harris's Spyboy, "Thing About You"

My September listening has led to some exciting surprises, including the startling arrival of a special re-issue. How about one of my all-time favorite live albums, from one of my all-time favorite tours, with five additional tracks? This special edition of Spyboy follows the grand finale of “All My Tears” and the Daniel Lanois classic “The Maker” with “Thing About You” (featuring Miller on lead vocals), “All I Left Behind,” “Every Grain of Sand,” “Get Up John,” and “Sweet Old World.” They've released “Thing About You” in advance.

Wet Leg, "u and me at home"

Over the summer, I just kept playing the big singles from Wet Leg's Moisturizer: “CPR” and “Catch These Fists.” But now I'm starting to pay more attention to the rest of the record, and the closing number has some strong, sweet singalong qualities.

Big Thief, "Grandmother"

And speaking of singalongs...

The song that has been staying with me all day every day comes from Big Thief. As every day seems to bring more bad news on stages global, national, local, and even at my own workplace, Adrianne Lenker is appealing to the better angels of my nature with this line: “Gonna turn it all / into rock and roll...”

Kae Tempest, “Breathe“

One of the rappers who always has my full attention no matter what he does is Kae Tempest. I became a fan of this artist when his name was “Kate” and his pronouns were she/her. But I’ve enjoyed, marveled at, and learned from Tempest's work, album by album, through his transition, and now, even more, with the appropriately named Self Titled. It’s nothing new to describe a Tempest record as personal or testimonial. But this feels like a turning point, a moment when Tempest has crossed over into the musical country he’s been questing for all along. He’s come through more challenging storms than I can imagine, and he's ready to speak for the dignity and humanity of others facing the same challenges and struggling through the same storms.

Tempest is someone I deeply respect. I’m grateful for his courage, his imagination, his eloquence, and this towering achievement.

Here are two of the songs I find so compelling on Self Titled:

Ezra Furman, “Power of the Moon”

Here's an artist I first referred to using male pronouns. Her journey so far has been one of compelling confessions, deep Gospel yearning, and an urgency that reminds me of early Bob Dylan. Ezra Furman’s new album Goodbye Small Head follows up what I’d argue was a career best with All of Us Flames. This new record rides that wave of energetic, anxious inspiration. The tracks that I'm playing most often are these (but I'm just getting started):

Let's close with a new song, and then a hymn, from Ashley Monroe’s new record Tennessee Lightning.