Valerie June's been bubbling under for almost a decade – recording work with other artists, doing a variety of projects, and finally getting her chance to shine in the spotlight with her previous debut – yet it may well be this well-crafted second album that finally puts the singer over the top! Valerie's completely her own woman here – not beholden to any sort of easy tags or cliches – including the "rootsy soul" or "folksy diva" tags that we heard batted around before – and instead, almost inventing her own genre for the record – which has a vibe that makes us guess that it's going to be the start of a huge legacy of fame to come for June. Her voice is timeless, the instrumentation is nicely understated, and the production is very easygoing – yet the whole thing comes across with a crispily compelling sound that could appeal to both hipsters and their more mainstream friends. That might sound like a dig, but it's not – just our way of illustrating the soon-to-be universal appeal of the singer! Titles include "The Front Door", "Astral Plane", "Long Lonely Road", "Just IN Time", "Slip Slide On By", "Two Hearts", and "Got Soul". CD

A really compelling mix of folk roots and deeper soul – served up here by one of the most unique artists we've heard in years! Valerie June is really carving out some unique territory here – singing and playing guitar at a level that feels rooted in Appalachia, but also sometimes stepping into some headier sounds that are more soul or funk-based as well – a really surprising brew that comes off surprisingly well throughout! Valerie's getting production help from Kevin Augunas and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys – both of whom play and sing on the record too – along with some guest organ work from Booker T. Titles include "Wanna Be On Your Mind", "Pushin Against A Stone", "Trials Troubles Tribulations", "Twined & Twisted", "The Hour", "Somebody To Love", and "Workin Woman Blues". CD