Angel Olsen Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1
Consensus is still forming across 4 professional reviews. Angel Olsen's Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1 reframes the singer-songwriter as curator rather than sole auteur, a conversational compilation that foregrounds discovery and homage while letting Olsen's haunted balladeering color other artists' work. Across professional reviews, critics found the record most compelling when it pre
Olsen's cover of "Born Too Blue" is highlighted as the album's standout due to its easy classicism and evocative delivery.
Across professional reviews, critics found the record most compelling when it preserves the individuality of its contributors - moments like Poppy Jean Crawford's “Glamorous” and S
Best for listeners looking for collaboration and covers, starting with Glamorous and The Takeover.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Glamorous
4 mentions
"the spirited, goth grunge of Poppy Jean Crawford (Glamorous)"— The Observer (UK)
Born Too Blue
4 mentions
"Olsen’s version of his Born Too Blue, with its easy classicism, is a standout here."— The Observer (UK)
Farfisa Song
4 mentions
"Hearing her refract the artists’ songs back to them reveals the depth of her imagination"— Tinnitist
if any of the tracks demand to stand out on its own, it’s the heavy-lidded romance of Sarah Grace White’s “Ride,
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Glamorous
Blood
Ride
Make Believe You Love Me
Wonder Now
The Takeover
Swimming
Sinkhole
Born Too Blue
Farfisa Song
Get occasional highlights
New releases and the best tracks, based on real critic reviews. No spam.
By signing up, you agree to receive occasional emails from Chorus. Unsubscribe anytime.
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Th
Critic's Take
Angel Olsen's Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1 reads as a tidy, conversational project that foregrounds community while giving Olsen room to haunt. The review singles out “Born Too Blue” as a clear standout and praises Olsen's all-Olsen B-side for its "woebegone elegance", making those two the best songs on the album in spirit and effect. Kitty Empire's voice remains measured and slightly wry, noting the LA-centred mosaic from Poppy Jean Crawford's goth grunge to Coffin Prick's Talking Heads bent, and returning again to Olsen's classical, cavernous takes. For anyone asking "best tracks on Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1" or "best songs on Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1", the review points listeners first to “Born Too Blue” and the B-side covers as the most memorable moments.
Key Points
-
Olsen's cover of "Born Too Blue" is highlighted as the album's standout due to its easy classicism and evocative delivery.
-
The album's core strengths are community-focused curation, varied LA-rooted sounds, and Olsen's haunting, retro B-side interpretations.
Themes
Critic's Take
In this warm, conversational note Darryl Sterdan frames Angel Olsen's Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1 as a spirit-of-discovery project where the best tracks are the ones that illuminate other artists and Olsen's imagination. He repeatedly singles out Olsen's refracting of songs and the way Side B, where she chooses and records songs, reveals her depth - those reinterpretations feel like the standout moments.
Key Points
-
The best moments come when Olsen refracts other artists' songs and makes them her own.
-
The album's core strength is its curatorial spirit and breadth of collaborators, showcasing discovery and reinterpretation.
Themes
Critic's Take
In this announcement-piece Matt Mitchell writes with an appreciative, slightly conversational tone about Angel Olsen's Cosmic Waves, Vol. He frames the project as an act of curation and discovery, celebrating how Olsen translates peers' songs on Side B while spotlighting Poppy Jean Crawford's original as a standout. The narrative keeps faith with Olsen's intent to learn from other writers, which positions these two tracks as the best songs on the album for showcasing both songwriting and interpretive strength.
Key Points
-
The album’s core strengths are Olsen's curation and interpretive covers, emphasizing discovery and collaboration between peers.
Themes
Critic's Take
Emma Madden finds the best tracks on Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1 in the moments that retain individuality rather than Olsen imitation. She singles out Sarah Grace White’s “Ride” as the standout for its spartan, swoonsome melodies, and notes that “The Takeover” and “Sinkhole” reveal Olsen’s lightness of touch. Madden argues that the strongest songs are those that insist on their own shape, which is why “Ride” emerges as the best song on Cosmic Waves, Vol. 1, while Olsen’s covers often downplay her singular voice.
Key Points
-
The best song is “Ride” because its spartan, swoonsome melody resists Olsen’s tendency to filter other artists through her own sound.
-
The album’s core strength is its curatorial impulse and moments of genuine individuality despite covers that soften Olsen’s distinctive voice.
Themes
