Uncomplicated yet deeply moving, Christian Lee Hutson’s lyrics make precise observations on the grandest of topics. His third solo album, Beginners, is produced by frequent collaborator Phoebe Bridgers (whose own recent release, the acclaimed Punisher, is well worth checking out too).
Atheist gets things off to a delightful, gentle start, Hutson’s delicate guitar-picking providing a backdrop for an examination of nostalgia itself, and the human tendency to look back on our own past through rose-tinted glasses.
Hutson is just 29, but, like all people approaching 30, is acutely aware of ageing. On Northsiders he glances over his shoulder to his teenage years, remembering the agony and ecstasy of not quite fitting in. Forgiveness is an oft-revisited theme, culminating in Unforgivable, a confessional break-up track which sees Hutson’s resignation becoming clearer — his voice breaks a little more every time he delivers the last line of the chorus: “We had a pretty good run but I just can’t f***ing do it anymore.”
Production flourishes come in welcome waves, with Bridgers appearing occasionally on guitar and joining Hutson for harmonies. On Get the Old Band Back Together, a folksy singalong number, Bright Eyes’s Conor Oberst is on harmonica duties and his bandmate Nate Walcott configured strings arrangements on five of the 10 tracks, including the hopeful closer, Single for the Summer.
