Windhand’s no-nonsense frontwoman Dorthia Cottrell grew up in the rural town of King George, Va.—and that's clearly reflected in the forlorn acoustic-based sound heard here on her self-titled debut solo album. Covers of Townes Van Zandt’s “Rake” and Gram Parsons’ “A Song for You” give listeners an idea of her direction, but original songs like “Cemetery Song,” “Gold,” and “Perennial” reveal her specific voice, which echoes the doomsday blues associated with Mark Lanegan, Nick Cave, and other end-of-the-world visionaries. Cottrell works over obsessive riffs (“Oak Grove”) until they're hers alone.
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