bethany larson

More a promising set of rough-hewn demos than a proper album, Bethany Larson’s 7-track EP is nonetheless an auspicious debut, marking the arrival of a young songwriting talent worth keeping an eye on, and a possible heiress to Haley Bonar’s throne as the Cities’ finest alt-country cowgirl, should Bonar decide to make her relocation to Oregon permanent. Larson's lovelorn lamentations are sparsely adorned with little more than acoustic strumming, which means her low-key twang must do most of the heavy lifting—a task she proves more than up to on ukelele-and-kick-drum ditties like “But I Love Him.” Although the spare sound doesn’t make for much in the way of rewarding repeated listening, Sticks And Stones truly shines when Larson opens up her sound by letting backing unit The Bee's Knees kick up some dust and inject a bit of sass into her sorrow, as on the album’s two high points, the title track and “Domino Men.”

-Rob Van Alstyne, AV Club



"While the argument could be made that the Twin Cities isn't exactly hurting for another young songstress with jazzy vocal stylings and an ear for penning winning folk-pop songs—what with Caroline Smith and Lucy Michelle crooning on local stages with regularity—I'm still ready to welcome the arrival of Bethany Larson on the scene with open arms.



She'll be performing at the Turf Club tonight alongside her backing band The Bee's Knees to celebrate the release of her 7-song debut "Sticks & Stones," which trafficks in winsomely affecting tunes that marry traditional country lyrical tropes about falling for bad men ("My man went to the jailhouse/But I love him") to sweetly strummed and lovingly loping melodies."

-Metromix