Nathaniel Clark – A&E Editor

nuc5002@psu.edu

Angel Olsen’s “Forever Means” EP feels like a point of reflection for the singer-songwriter.

Throughout the 2010s, Angel Olsen was one of the promising singer-songwriters of the new generation. Coming onto the scene with “Strange Cacti,” the young Olsen was quickly pushed into indie superstardom. Throughout the rest of the decade, Olsen released various solo albums, EPs, and singles to continue her growth. In 2019, she released “All Mirrors.” Many in the discourse consider this record to be her masterpiece, mixing art pop ideals with chamber and dream aesthetics. 

In the interim between “All Mirrors” and her next record, Angel Olsen went on a journey of self-discovery, culminating in her coming out as gay in 2021. Along with changes in her personal life, Olsen was also experimenting with a change of sound.

The first project in this new musical chapter was “Big Time,” released in 2022. Moving away from the pop sensibilities, “Big Time” is pure Americana. Pulling from country music, the record stripped back the heavy production of Olsen’s previous works. This decision worked in spades to showcase her vocal and lyrical prowess The sounds of country worked fit well for Olsen’s raspy and strained vocal delivery. She felt at home in this new version of herself.

After the release of “Big Time,” a resulting tour went throughout the United States. In March of this year, Olsen returned to announce the “Forever Means” EP along with the release of the single “Nothing’s Free.” 

The four-track long project consists of B-Sides from “Big Time.” In interviews discussing the project, Angel Olsen discussed that the songs were cut more due to musical sound than their quality. 

The EP opens with the previously mentioned “Nothing’s Free.” The sparse instrumentation and whisper vocals bring a level of intimacy to the song. Olsen delivers a short verse before the track leads into an instrumental break. With pianos, saxophones, jazz drums, and an organ, this musical break feels ever-encompassing. The track slowly fades into the distance. 

Coming next is the project’s title track. In an interview with the publication Dork, Olsen stated: “I’d thought of it as a kind of nod to George Harrison, who I’d been getting back into during the pandemic as I was finally calming down and finding moments of peace with myself.” 

The song feels like the perfect soundtrack for floating downstream. Blissfully unaware of their surroundings, the listener is open to whatever they encounter.

“Time Bandits” is the closest the EP gets to the country sounds of “Big Time.” The soft twang of the guitars and the rattling of a tambourine perfectly adds to the country music aesthetics. As the song builds, this spatial filter is used in Olsen’s voice, producing a bigger echoic effect. The track concludes with a mild saxophone. 

The project closes with “Holding On.” This song is the project at its most massive. The instrumental feels grandiose and powerful, matching Olsen’s vocals. The additional orchestral passages add to this energy. All of these instruments work in tandem to create a satisfying build that progresses throughout the track. It feels like Olsen and company brought together every instrument from the project to conclude the EP on a high note.

The “Forever Means” EP is a welcome addition to the Angel Olsen canon. While not as strong as her “Big Time” project, the EP shows that Olsen is not going to abandon this newfound self.