Jeff's Best of 2022 - #3: Maggie Carson - The Dark Was Aglow

There are two bands that are critical to this blog's existence: David Wax Museum and Spirit Family Reunion. Maggie Carson, songwriter and singer for Spirit Family Reunion, dropped a solo album this year that showcased her songwriting and performative chops while also being the best pure roots record of the year.

Maggie Carson's vocals and instrumentation for this album feel more akin to an afternoon barbecue than a campfire party, and the absolute force and drama in her voice and presentation in songs like "Your Ghost," and the production puts her banjo and her voice front and center where they belong across the entire album. It was a great year for folk and roots music, and for this to be one of the major highlights says a lot about her strength as a musician as well as how solid this album is.

If you haven't given this a proper listen yet, make time. It's this good.

Songs of note: "From Here to Anywhere," "Here Among Us," "Waiting," "Your Ghost"