In the three years since she topped the alternative charts with "Ex's And Oh's", Elle King has been through a lot of ups and downs, and by the tone of the songs on her sophomore effort Shake The Spirit, things have been considerably more down then up. This is an album bristling with divorce, self-doubt, depression, and more than a little self-medication. King's on-again off-again relationship with her husband has been well documented by the tabloids, and here she gives both barrels to a man she thought she knew. But King, as self-aware and confessional as ever, saves plenty of the blame for herself.

If the proceedings sound a little too dark and dreary, not to worry. This is after all an Elle King record, so there's also plenty of snarling loud guitar fun.

The album features collaborations with hit producer Greg Kurstin, who brings some sophisticated production to songs like the Spaghetti Western-infused "Baby Outlaw".

Shake the Spirit is, at turns, rowdy, confessional, angry, and once again a lot of fun. No sophomore slump here.

Elle King's Shake The Spirit is the our Album Of The Week on The Current.

Resources

Elle King - Official Site