Margaret Glaspy’s fourth album, I Am Both, arrives via ATO Records, produced by three-time Grammy winner Joe Henry. It’s a compelling collection rooted in heartbreak and self-reflection, effortlessly moving between stripped-back country folk and fuller, more expansive arrangements. Across its eleven tracks, Glaspy proves herself an exceptional storyteller, balancing vulnerability with quiet strength.
Opening track and lead single Michigan immediately sets the tone with its timeless country feel. Built around delicately picked guitar, subtle synths and a warm, wandering bassline, it tells the story of escaping the city for rural Michigan after a relationship ends. The idea of being followed by the ex who ended the relationship comes to a head in the final line: “You said you didn’t need me, but who’s standing in whose driveway?” Glaspy’s understated delivery allows the story to land with even greater impact.
Reminder shifts gears with a busier arrangement, driven by a stronger rhythm section and a more urgent vocal performance. Framed as a series of affirmations, Glaspy reassures herself that imperfection is preferable to pretence: “Doing nothing is something I do too well.” Musically, Reminder is deliberately repetitive, but each verse adds another layer of intensity before stripping everything back for the closing lines, delivered almost a cappella. It’s a powerful reminder that it’s better to be yourself and make mistakes than become someone you’re not: “Blood on my face is better than clown makeup.”
Second single That Rose injects fresh energy, balancing Glaspy’s raspy vocals and gritty guitars with Patrick Warren’s jangling keyboards floating above the mix. It’s packed with evocative imagery, particularly in the line, “I dreamt you looked into the clouds like they were my eyes / You made them blush, the clouds got shy,” highlighting the poetic quality that runs throughout the record.
Elsewhere, I Thought She Was A Song leans further into country influences, its repetitive bassline and finger-picked guitar creating the perfect backdrop for Glaspy’s storytelling. The intimate, conversational verses give way to a delicate yet powerful chorus, providing a welcome contrast that perfectly complements the storytelling.
Martin Luther King Jr offers one of the album’s gentlest moments. Harmonica adds warmth, while Martin Luther King Jr.’s words, “Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that”, lend the song a poignant emotional weight that never feels forced.
The album’s emotional peak arrives with Sharp Knife. There are echoes of Damien Rice’s songwriting in the way it unfolds through shifting tempos, carefully placed silences and understated piano. Glaspy delivers one of her finest vocal performances as she reflects on the reality of being a woman carrying “a sharp knife in case a cool night turns to something cold”, before observing how “men get bored when no one’s looking”. It’s a beautifully constructed song that confronts difficult realities with honesty and vulnerability, capturing the emotional depth that runs throughout the album.
The title track, I Am Both, closes the album by embracing contradiction rather than resolving it. Inspired by “a woman who contains multitudes while seeing reality very clearly,” Glaspy uses the song as a statement of self-acceptance, bringing together the emotional themes explored throughout the record.
I Am Both is an album that rewards close attention. Glaspy never relies on grand gestures, instead allowing thoughtful songwriting, nuanced performances and understated production to do the heavy lifting. It’s a beautifully realised record that resonates through its warmth, honesty and emotional depth.
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