Anais Mitchell/Dietrich Strause

Cutting modern folk music with something of a pastoral edge, if you will, Anais Mitchell paints with haunting brushstrokes. Her 2012 album,Young Man in America, is a meandering meditation on that very subject. A bildungsroman set against post-recession America, Mitchell’s second album is the sort of lush injection of spirit that folk music needs (far more than, say, the outpouring of good-but-not-great “Americana” bands peppering Spotify playlists these days). This is storytelling music. Narrative via melody. The album’s title track showcases Mitchell’s emotion-tinged voice and the tapestry of instrumentation that makes this album what it is. “Venus” shows a more playful mood. “Annmarie” pushes downtempo buttons and at-times discordant ambient washes. There’s a lot to chew on in Mitchell’s work. Her live show will offer a terrific opportunity for just that. (Sandy)