Anderson East

Anderson East’s new album Worthy blooms from that lack of pressure, from the freedom it afforded. He deliberately left space for accidents and magic, often taking days-long breaks from tracks so as not to overwork them. So much of Worthy, though, feels like a love letter, borne of gratitude and acceptance. Anderson has rarely sounded so grounded and candid as he does on songs from this record. It is the promise of Worthy—a record inspired by a pure love of song and sound, despite a fatigue with the entertainment trappings of music—delivered. Anderson made Worthy on his own terms, with its Muscle Shoals radiance, soulful horns, and interior lyrics a portrait of the artist he has become. But it is also a portrait of the person he has become, capable of seeing his past as a gateway to a present of love and happiness, of someone worthy of those things. Worthy is a reintroduction to Anderson East, more confident and commanding than ever now that he knows there is nothing to prove. Available everywhere May 30.