On her Matador debut, Lucy Dacus pre-emptively quashes imminent parities to singers cut from similar stylistic cloth (Angel Olsen, Courtney Barnett). Lead-off single “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” hooks on arrival, the clever 21-year-old’s sober lyrics digesting wonderfully snide. Later, tender “Trust” and “… Familiar Place” sidestep the Virginian’s indie guitar rock. “Green Eyes, Red Face” manages bluesy soul while still retaining distance; Dacus is a splitting shell at largo speed. In its last minute, “Dream State …” erupts into an artsy groove, supplying the disc’s premier earperk. No Burden‘s Nineties crunch plus its writer’s youthful sageness/naiveté fosters a propitious career launch. (2:30pm, BMI stage; Weekend One only)

***.5

This article appears in September 30 • 2016.

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