Tomberlin - Self-Help

Music 4 years ago

Tomberlin - Self-Help

Kentucky-based Sarah Beth Tomberlin has an undeniably intriguing backstory: a strict Baptist upbringing; dropping out of a Christian college as her faith receded and she discovered the secular appeal of Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes; the songs she’d written coming to the attention of Oberst’s Saddle Creek label, who signed her.

Yet while the emotional turmoil of losing her faith has evidently influenced At Weddings (several songs have a hymn-like quality and the lines “I look for redemption in everybody else/ But funny thing is that I always hated church” are telling), to focus solely on that aspect would be to do a disservice to an immersive and impressive debut album.