Remind Me Tomorrow: Sharon Van Etten's Successful Attempt at Artistic Reinvention

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Remind Me Tomorrow is a dramatic reinvention for Sharon Van Etten that introduces us to an entirely new and diverse sonic palette. Etten abandons the simple, stripped-down, guitar-driven balladry we’ve come to expect from her, and in turn gives us a record that is characterized by dark, complex, and synth-heavy instrumentation. Not only is this a stunning testament to her artistic versatility, it's also a befitting aural manifestation of the themes this album explores. Remind Me Tomorrow is a stark and unembellished portrayal of love and intimacy; throughout the album, Etten finds herself trudging through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The album opens with "I Told You Everything," a piano-driven ballad with staggering instrumental entrances and dainty lower harmonies. Etten discusses the relief, comfort, and closeness that stems from becoming totally and completely transparent with your significant other. She describes the moment she opened up to her current partner about her past—a crucial milestone in their relationship. "Sitting at the bar, I told you everything," she tenderly recalls. "We held hands / We held hands as we parted."

The story is taken a step further with "Malibu," a track that finds beauty in the simplicity of falling in love. It epitomizes the aforementioned theme of unembellished love; falling in love isn't always extravagant and fairytale-like. Sometimes, it's just going on a road trip with your partner, or coming home to find them cleaning the bathroom floor.  "Jupiter 4" (named after a Roland synthesizer) captures the solace Etten feels now that she's finally found "a love so real." However, her journey hasn't always been so blissful.

Etten recounts a past experience with heartbreak on "No One's Easy to Love"—a dubby and distorted track with electrifying chord progressions and gripping harmonies. In the organ-driven "You Shadow," she tells the story of a previous romantic partner who acted as a "yes-man" rather than possessing a personality of their own. "Memorial Day" focuses on a relationship that's fragile and turbulent. Suitably, it's ominous and foreboding—ornamented with mystical chimes and delicate, shadowy vocals. Remind Me Tomorrow's juxtaposition of true love with heartbreak effectively accentuates the immensity of both.

The singles "Comeback Kid" and "Seventeen" continue the album's overarching theme of intimacy—only now, Etten's focus shifts from "who" to "where." "Comeback Kid" communicates the bittersweetness Etten feels when she returns to her hometown. While she recognizes the significant personal growth she's achieved in adulthood, she still wistfully identifies with the kid she once was. Nostalgia permeates "Seventeen"—an emotional homage to Etten's current home of fifteen years, New York City.  Throughout this track, she considers the change she has both witnessed and experienced during her time spent there. Sonically, she takes a page from Springsteen's book—but she adapts it with distorted synths and fuzzy guitars in order to fit the album's aesthetic. This is easily one of the record's most memorable moments.

Romance is often fragile and finite. People and places persistently change. In Remind Me Tomorrow, Etten poignantly affirms these hard truths. However, she concludes the album optimistically—expressing a love that's strong, undying, and unwavering; "Stay" is a stirring tribute to Etten's new, firstborn child. In tranquil confidence she proclaims, "You won't let me go astray / You will let me find my way / You, you love me either way / You stay." 

Remind Me Tomorrow is meritoriously consistent. Sharon Van Etten had a clear vision for this record thematically and aesthetically, and she delivered on all fronts. To be quite honest, I was hard-pressed to find shortcomings. While the album didn't necessarily expose me to any new or profound perspectives, I still found myself enthralled by Etten's sincerity and relatability. She accomplishes exactly what she sets out to accomplish. While successful artistic reinvention is a nearly unattainable feat for many, Sharon Van Etten has proven herself a master of the craft.