Echo The Diamond

Blending lyrical, introspective songwriting with a raw rock edge, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Margaret Glaspy emerged in 2016 with Emotions and Math, a debut that was both intimate and powerful. Over the next few years, she toured heavily, honing her sound over a subsequent EP and 2020 follow-up album, Devotion, which took her in a lusher direction. Glaspy's third record, 2023's Echo the Diamond, returned to the electric guiter-centered style of her debut, bringing with it a more spontaneous appraoch.

A native of California, Glaspy relocated to Boston after high school, where she attended the Berklee College of Music. After her scholarship money ran out, she used her student ID to sneak into master classes while honing her songs and working odd jobs. A subsequent move to Brooklyn yielded new performing opportunities and the release of her debut EP, Homeschool, in 2012. A second EP, If & When, arrived a year later. Citing influences from Joni Mitchell's iconic Blue album to Weezer's Pinkerton, Glaspy's strong command as a vocalist and often bluesy electric guitar skills set her apart from much of the New York D.I.Y. indie scene. After first demoing and then recording her first full-length album at home, she was approached by ATO Records. A deal was struck and she entered a proper studio to re-record the tracks, which were mixed by Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, Lucius).

Her full-length debut, Emotions and Math, arrived in June 2016, followed by extensive touring. In early 2018, ATO issued Glaspy's third EP, the three-song Born Yesterday. In a significant shift from the sound of her debut, Glaspy offered up her second LP, 2020's Devotion, a collection of love songs that moved away from the sparse, guitar-based approach of her debut and introduced a wider sonic palette. Her next collection was a different beast, entirely. Co-produced with her partner, guitarist Julian Lage, 2023's Echo the Diamond saw Glaspy approaching her songs from a place of raw immediacy. Spontaneous and stripped-down, the guitar-heavy set expands on the smart, rugged tone of her debut while exploring a range of emotions from infatuation and humor to profound sorrow. ~ Timothy Monger