https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s79pNrycneQ

Clear the way, I’m coming through, no matter what you say. I’ve got work to be doing, if you’re not here to help, go find some other life to ruin.

Jesca Hoop’s new album Memories Are Now wastes no time in making clear its confidence, confrontation, and craftsmanship. The stark and reverberant title track opens the set with “a fighting spirit,” says Hoop, serving as an anthem to push through any obstacle and put forth your very best work. And she has unequivocally done that here, with an album of stunningly original songs–minimalist yet brimming with energy, emerging from a wealth of life experience, great emotional depth, and years of honing the craft of singing.

As riveting as it is reflective, the album, produced by Blake Mills (Fiona Appl