Ignored             Obscured              Restored

Looking back on the musical offerings of 2024, one track that stood far above the rest was “Right Back to It” by Waxahatchee featuring MJ Lenderman.  Released as an early teaser in January, the song found its permanent home on Tigers Milk, Waxahatchee’s stunning March release that cemented Katie Crutchfield’s place as a songwriter of rare emotional insight.

For the uninitiated, Waxahatchee is both a moniker and a flexible musical identity — a vessel for Crutchfield’s poetic musings, sometimes as a solo troubadour and other times flanked by a full-band ensemble.  This fluidity of form mirrors the emotional depth of her music, where vulnerability is as much an instrument as her guitar.

On “Right Back to It,” Crutchfield collaborates with alt-country luminary MJ Lenderman, whose vocal harmony provides a wistful counterpoint to her introspective lyrics. The result is a love song unlike any other — a portrait of enduring affection painted in shades of insecurity and redemption.  Crutchfield, in her own words, described the song as an exploration of “the ebb and flow of a longtime love story,” eschewing the saccharine for something more visceral and, ultimately, more relatable.

Musically, “Right Back to It” strikes a rare balance between simplicity and sophistication.  Its timeless melody feels as though it has always existed, as if plucked from the ether and given new life in Crutchfield’s hands.  The interplay of Crutchfield’s yearning vocals and Lenderman’s understated electric guitar fills ensure the song resonates long after its final notes fade.

In an era where fleeting trends dominate, Waxahatchee offers a welcome reminder that the best music isn’t just heard — it’s felt.  And with “Right Back to It,” Katie Crutchfield proves, once again, that she’s a master of making us feel.

Enjoy… until next week.