Two of the most influential songwriters of the past decade, Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen are unafraid of diving headfirst into the red. Think of those climactic howls in “Seventeen” or “Your Love Is Killing Me”; consider the dreamy crescendos of “Shut Up Kiss Me” and “Lark.” While plenty of artists seek inspiration from heroes of emotional abandon like Bruce Springsteen (whom they have each covered excellently), Van Etten and Olsen understand the true power belongs to the listener—when you’ve brought the magic into your own world, and you’re throwing your head back, singing along at the top of your lungs.
Their first collaborative single, “Like I Used To,” lives up to its potential, plays to their strengths, and still manages to pack a surprise. The verse melody sits squarely in Olsen’s comfort zone—a little bit classic country, a little bit girl-group balladry. And the chorus, which arrives on an ascending wave of glockenspiel, like a golden staircase appearing through the fog, is pure Van Etten: a long string of ribbon she unfurls in the wind, equally ragged and triumphant.
The whole thing feels momentous, predestined to be a crowd-pleasing set closer, and the lyrics add to its casual grandeur. “Lighting one up like I used to,” they sing together, “Falling in love like I used to.” Even when the words eschew the directness of previous career peaks (or when they’re straight-up quoting Michael Jordan), the duo makes sure you know they mean it. Produced by John Congleton, the song feels meticulously arranged for them to find the spotlight at any given moment and steal the show, an effect mirrored by Kimberly Stuckwisch’s expertly styled music video. If the good old days are behind us, as they suggest every time the chorus rolls around, the memories have never felt so sweet.
