The pandemic has changed us all*, so I shouldn’t be surprised at the lighter touch Lilly Hiatt takes on her new album, Lately. I am surprised she has a new record out, because it feels like it was just a year ago that she released Walking Proof and oh wait she did.
Being stuck inside for so many months, cut off from society at large and from loved ones in particular, I imagine that musicians had an “easier**” time maintaining their creativity. You can write songs in your home. You may not necessarily be able to, say, make a movie, though there are clever, enterprising people out there who tried and succeeded and also made something very good.
I digress. Lately reflects where we are, and where Hiatt is, at this moment. It’s a wonderful little record. You can read my full review at Paste Magazine.
*There are some folks out there who I suspect would argue otherwise. If you know them, they’re in denial.
**This is a very relative term because nobody had an easy time during the hard lockdown phase of the pandemic at all.
A Constant Visual Feast 