Something I’ve always really liked about singer-songwriter Tristen’s music is the vulnerability. On any given album — be it 2017’s Sneaker Waves or 2013’s C A V E S or the latest, Aquatic Flowers — you get a sense of who she is and what worries or fascinates her. In an interview with Scene contributor Charlie Zaillian published in June, Tristen explained that the writing of her 2021 album came at a time when she was transitioning from the child-free life to being a parent. “I don’t want to project negativity — I just notice problems and fixate on them,” she said. “But becoming a mom broke me wide open, made me care about something else. Children bring you into the moment.” I love this moment she’s having, because I too have experienced this recently as a newish mom. To see parenthood reflected in a thoughtful way — with reverence for the ways it transforms us — is so affirming.
Best Album About Parenthood
