Atwood Magazine is thrilled to present our Editor's Picks column, curated and penned by Editor-in-Chief Mitch Mosk. Each week, Mitch will showcase a selection of songs, albums, and artists that have resonated with him. There is a wealth of remarkable music waiting to be discovered, and all it requires from us is an open mind and a readiness to listen. Through our Editor’s Picks, we aim to highlight our musical findings and feature a varied range of new and recent releases. This week's selections include Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, JayWood, Vacation Manor, Mumford & Sons, Dreamer Isioma, and Blind Pilot! Follow EDITOR’S PICKS on Spotify.
**Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory by Sharon Van Etten**
Sharon Van Etten characterizes Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory as “a meeting of the minds and a sonic trust fall.” During a captivating performance this past Monday at Woodstock’s Bearsville Theater, she shared how, for the first time in her career, she and her band collaborated on writing and recording everything together for an entire album, resulting in a creative freedom she had never experienced before.
The distinction between an “artist” album and a “band” album is clear, and Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is undoubtedly a band album. The amalgamated talents of Van Etten, Jorge Balbi (drums, machines), Devra Hoff (bass, vocals), and Teeny Lieberson (synth, piano, guitar, vocals) are evident from the enchanting opening of “Live Forever” to the concluding notes of “I Want You Here.”
The tracks are bold, audacious, experimental, and thrilling – easily Van Etten's most varied work over her 15-plus years in music – and yet, the overall experience maintains a coherence that makes Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory both unforgettable and captivating. Infectious pop-structured songs like “Trouble” and “Afterlife” – two singles from the album – showcase Van Etten’s cathartic, introspective songwriting. Meanwhile, songs such as “Indio” (which features alternative scales) and “I Can’t Imagine (Why You Feel This Way)” reflect the band’s inventive essence and uniqueness, distinguishing them not only from Van Etten’s previous works but also from many contemporary rock artists.
As if the album experience weren’t enough, the band’s live performance is a completely different phenomenon. On stage, the quartet delivers a soul-stirring, spine-tingling performance that defies categorization. Elements of indie rock, new wave, math rock, garage, post-punk, psychedelic, and more seep through the atmosphere as Van Etten's stunning vocals take center stage, resulting in a dizzying and dynamic rock show that reaches into the depths of human experience. It’s exhilarating, a revelation, and a raw reflection of our current state in 2025.
**“BIG TINGS” by JayWood ft. Tune-Yards**
A soulful ray of sonic sunshine, “BIG TINGS” serves as an anthem for all dreamers and believers to persevere and gather their dreams. JayWood's first single of the year features a collaboration with Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner from the art-pop duo Tune-Yards, creating a track that blurs (and dismantles) musical boundaries while illustrating the magic of hope and the human spirit. “Running outta steam for a living, no givin in. Bite back, you can see me like this, or like that,” JayWood sings at the outset, his voice steady and focused as the backdrop echoes, “Big tings coming, coming, coming our way.”
And they truly are.
**BIG TINGS – JayWood ft. Tune-Yards**
Riding on a dream for a lifestyle
Deterring my deathstyle
Deterring my deathstyle
You can see me like this? Or like that
You can see me like this? Or like that
So when you’re feeling high
Throw your hands up to the sky
I’ve got big tings
coming down the pipe, so what
So what. It’s hard
“I honestly don’t even know when I became such an optimistic person!” JayWood shares with Atwood Magazine. “Most of the time I feel moody or down, but then I see my choice of writing topics, and I guess that shifts my perspective a bit. I think the song, for me, is about trusting the process and embracing the unknown because you never know what experiences will arise from it. I want to believe that as tough as life or any situation can be, it only indicates that better things are on the horizon. I hope that listeners can draw some hope from this track and find a way to cultivate their connection with optimism and fate.”
Hope can be difficult to find, especially in a world that
Curated by Mitch Mosk, this week's Editor's Picks includes music from Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, JayWood, Vacation Manor, Mumford & Sons, Dreamer Isioma, and Blind Pilot!
