Seattle’s Hi Crime returns with more psychedelic folk-pop on their newest album, Spirit & Candor. Only this time something's changed. Instead of a regular full-band, Etter has made this a full-on solo project. Not only has he continued with his role as the primary songwriter, but he has written all of the music, played several instruments, and for the first time sung lead vocals. 

For some artists, it can be nerve-racking to bare their soul on an album as personal as this one. As for where the conviction came to change the process and sing for the first time, Etter states, “It was a learned confidence. It didn’t feel right coming from this other vocal perspective, and I thought it was important at this point for me to sing my own songs after 15 years of having other people sing my songs.” 

The album starts with the song “Traveling Merchant,” which immediately sets the tone for what is to come. The Eastern-influenced Americana acoustic ballad is a recurring sound throughout this record and is the beginning of a conceptual story that continues within the first half of the record. 

“The first half is a suite of music. The tracks flow into each other and tell a story, " says Etter. He continues to explain how the concept is about a mystic tale influenced by Polynesian folklore and Greek myths, something he has been interested in since childhood. 

Although self-described as “abstract,” lines such as “open up your home and your pantry, material things are a curse upon your soul” and “for centuries, the cove had provided for the creatures. but greed had become rampant. And where resources were once a gift, had now become scarce,” are examples of the overarching theme of “a birth of greed and evil, and what happens when that force meets unsuspecting people,” Etter explains. 

While not a specific story, the second half of the album talks about truthfulness. This is reflected even by the title, with candor meaning honesty. “There’s more emotionally honest lyricism,” says Etter. 

This level of virtue is especially evident in the lush epic “When We Try.” accompanied by beautiful acoustic guitar picking and piano work, the lyrics, “You got a bucket full of rain for a sunny day, go let it swim. Turning back, there's no turning back here at the gate,” speaks of self-reflection and the courage to fight against the tougher days of life. 

If you want to get a sense of the diversity on this album, here are some stand-out tracks to listen to. 

“Everything Under the Sun” is an indie-pop single with complex rhythms and soothing vocals. 

For dog lovers out there, “Wake Up Winston” is a fun ode to man’s best friend and is accompanied by a music video featuring home footage of all sorts of doggos. 

“Treehouse” is a short instrumental that Etter expressed joy about recording. With spacey synths and soulful guitar leads, this song makes for a nice breather from the more traditional songs. 

And when you thought this record couldn’t be more musically diverse, Hi Crime hits us with the electrified “Runnin' For Your Life.”  This song is a grooving psych-rock tune with fuzzed-out guitar riffs, atmospheric effects, and trippy vocals. If you’re a fan of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard you’ll enjoy this one. 

Now that Hi Crime has made its most sonically progressive album to date, what’s next? Will Etter continue to follow the style of Spirit & Candor, go back to the previous Hi Crime approach or do something completely different? When asked he said, “Some kind of combination of all three.” But for now, we wait to see what path Hi Crime takes us on. 

Until then, you can catch the band live at Conor Byrne in Ballard on November 20 for Etter’s birthday celebration show. Keep an eye out for more shows and a possible tour soon.