Jaimee Harris’s sophomore effort Boomerang Town marks a bold step forward for this country-folk-leaning singer-songwriter. It is an arresting, ambitious song-cycle that explores the generational arc of family, the stranglehold of addiction, and the fragile ties that bind us together as Americans.

Harris began cultivating Boomerang Town in 2016, a time of great loss for many in the Americana community, with the songwriter losing several musicians close to her. A shift in the nation’s political landscape had ushered in a new level of cultural polarization and for someone who grew up in a small town outside of Waco, Texas, Harris believed the values instilled by her parents were not entirely in line with how many were viewing, and vilifying, Christians. As a person in recovery, Harris has had to re-evaluate her own connection to faith and find strength in a higher power. It was from the intersection of these social, personal, and political currents that the album was born.

While themes of addiction and grief permeate sections of the record, it echoes hope in the face of the darkness. Out February 17th, Boomerang Town understands that love and grief are two sides of the same coin.