Babehoven I See Them, I See Me LP (Milky Clear Vinyl)

Babehoven, the Hudson, NY-based indie folk duo of Maya Bon and Ryan Albert, return with their third studio album, I See Them, I See Me. Through 14 tracks that crackle with clear-eyed vision, Babehoven has crafted a transcendent new collection that gets back to the heart of what makes music meaningful and life worth living.

For the first time in Babehoven's prolific output — which includes, most recently, 2024's Water's Here in You — Bon and Albert blew the doors open on their process, inviting in three different engineers to capture the songs in four different studios. The all-star line-up includes Sam Evian, Kevin Copeland, and Phil Weinrobe, who also acted as co-producer. Much of I See Them, I See Me was live-tracked with a six-person ensemble, with Weinrobe instilling a philosophy of "no playback, no headphones, and no preparation" to create maximal presence in the room.

From the opening track "You're a Liar," the band establishes a new palette: a rollicking blend of indie and alt-country that sparkles with slide guitar, hardanger fiddle, and a sprightly vocal twang paying homage to Emmylou Harris and Patsy Cline, with classic folk-rock artists like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and The Band as further touchstones.

In 2024, during Babehoven's first headline tour, Bon suffered paralysis of her right vocal chord and was told she might never recover. In light of this, the album rings out as a sort of triumphant fist-pump. While many of Babehoven's songs are built on intricate cyclical melodies, I See Them, I See Me is full of wide, catchy choruses — anthems to be sung by a crowd.

'Lasagna' is a gorgeous contemporary soft rock gem. There's some pedal steel, comforting acoustic strums, and, of course, Bon's cotton-soft vocals.