Over the course of his 30-year career as an influential songwriter, record producer, and studio owner, John Vanderslice has carved out a singular place for himself in the landscape of American indie rock. The Cedars (Native Cat Recordings 2019) approaches the craft of songwriting from every direction but the front, in a non-linear process driven by drum machines, synthesizers, and an unpredictable palette of sonic textures. In an act of getting both figuratively and literally lost in the woods, Vanderslice finds himself favoring chaos and deconstruction over well-worn paths of familiar sounds and instrumentation.

“Vanderslice’s 11th LP, The Cedars — his first following an aborted retirement — is an album with laser-focused percussion and heavy emphasis on rhythm. It’s an album of very small moments blown-up to maximal proportions.” -The Fader

“Grief, addiction, capitalism, regret—it’s all wrapped up in Vanderslice’s wilderness mutterings.” -Paste