“Cerulean Salt” is Waxahatchee’s second album, and it is the sound of a songwriter trading low fidelity for full band arrangements while keeping the emotional stakes high. The record runs 32 minutes across 13 tracks, and it wants to prove that the rawness of her debut wasn’t a trick but a strength she could build on.
Hollow Bedroom Sets the Tone
“Hollow Bedroom” opens the record with a quiet confession that sets the tone for everything that follows. It’s a short, sharp song that announces the album’s intent: intimacy, clarity, and a refusal to soften the pain of memory. It’s the kind of track that earns its place early and doesn’t need to prove itself again.
Dixie Cups and Jars Through Coast to Coast
“Dixie Cups and Jars,” “Lips and Limbs,” “Blue, Pt. II,” and “Brother Bryan” form the middle stretch of the first half. These songs move through relationships, family, and the weight of expectation with a steady hand. “Coast to Coast” is the shortest track on the album at 1:46, a quick burst that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Tangled Envisioning and Misery Over Dispute
“Tangled Envisioning” and “Misery Over Dispute” are where the record starts to flex. Both songs lean into narrative tension without losing the pop structure that holds them together. They aren’t the album’s highlights, but they keep the momentum moving.
Lively and Waiting
“Lively” and “Waiting” are the weaker links. Neither song does enough to justify its presence alongside the stronger material around it, and both feel like filler rather than statement. That said, neither drags the album down either.
Swan Dive and Peace and Quiet
“Swan Dive” is the record’s emotional peak. It builds slowly, layer by layer, until the chorus arrives with a force that matches the title’s image. “Peace and Quiet” closes the album’s main run with a quieter resolution, a moment of calm after the storm. Together, these two tracks anchor the album’s final stretch.
You’re Damaged Closes It Out
“You’re Damaged” ends the record on a note of self-assurance. It’s a song about recognizing a partner’s flaws without losing sight of what makes them worth holding onto. It’s the right way to close a record that’s spent its runtime sorting through damaged goods.
The Verdict
“Cerulean Salt” is a step forward for Waxahatchee, not a reinvention. The songs are clearer, the arrangements are fuller, and the emotional honesty remains intact. The album’s weakest moments — “Lively” and “Waiting” — are brief enough that they don’t damage the overall impression.
“We are late, we are loud, we remain connected as you’re reading out loud”
| Album | Metacritic |
|---|---|
| Cerulean Salt | 79/100 |
The record’s best moments — “Hollow Bedroom,” “Swan Dive,” “Peace and Quiet” — are strong enough to carry the whole project. The lesser tracks are easy to skip, but they don’t sink it. This is a solid, focused record from a songwriter who knows exactly what she’s doing.
- Hollow Bedroom1:51
- Dixie Cups and Jars3:36
- Lips and Limbs2:37
- Blue, Pt. II2:19
- Brother Bryan2:36
- Coast to Coast1:46
- Tangled Envisioning2:27
- Misery Over Dispute1:45
- Lively2:32
- Waiting1:41
- Swan Dive3:14
- Peace and Quiet2:37
- You’re Damaged3:33
