Waxahatchee Tigers Blood
Released Mar 22, 2024 Anti/Epitaph
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Oct 3, 2026
Strong critical consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. Waxahatchee's Tigers Blood arrives as a sunnier, bolder chapter in Katie Crutchfield's catalog, marrying sharp songcraft with a newfound confidence rooted in recovery and nostalgia.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
365
1 critic mention
“365’ in particular is the sound of an artist at the peak of their powers” — Hot Press
Ice Cold
3 critic mentions
“Ice Cold" similarly spotlights Crutchfield as she punctuates a loose storyline” — The Line of Best Fit
Tigers Blood
1 critic mention
“On the closing title song, Crutchfield’s voice soars above an acoustic guitar” — The Line of Best Fit
Full critic consensus
Waxahatchee's Tigers Blood arrives as a sunnier, bolder chapter in Katie Crutchfield's catalog, marrying sharp songcraft with a newfound confidence rooted in recovery and nostalgia. Across three professional reviews the record earned a consensus score of 86.67/100 from critics who praise its hooks, road-ready anthems and the way folk and Americana textures are polished into immediate, radio-ready melodies.
Critics consistently point to standout tracks as proof of the album's strengths: “Ice Cold” emerges repeatedly as a highlight for its punchy, Nile Rodgers-tinged guitar and sneering delivery, while “Evil Spawn” is celebrated for an irresistible melody and emotional nuance. Hot Press names “365” as a defining moment, and reviewers also single out “Bored” and “Burns Out at Midnight” for their crowd-pleasing hooks and wry humor. Across the reviews, professional critics note collaboration—most notably “Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)”—as adding depth and texture to the record.
While praise centers on refined arrangements and confident vocals that shift from half-whisper to sneer, reviewers also register currents of anger, remorse and healing running beneath the sunlit surface. The critical consensus suggests Tigers Blood balances introspection with singalong immediacy, making it both a stylistic refinement from Saint Cloud and a compelling next step for Waxahatchee. Scroll down for full reviews and track-by-track notes that unpack why critics agree the record is worth hearing on tour and at home.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
3 Sisters
Evil Spawn
Ice Cold
Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)
Burns out at Midnight
Bored
Lone Star Lake
Crimes of the Heart
Crowbar
365
The Wolves
Tigers Blood
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Waxahatchee returns on Tigers Blood with a richer, more varied timbre, and the best tracks - notably “Evil Spawn” and “Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)” - showcase Crutchfield’s exemplary hooks and emotional nuance. The reviewer’s voice relishes how “Evil Spawn” forges an immediately compelling melody while “Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)” arrives as an early contender for song of the year, its velvety blended vocals and tasteful soloing emblematic of the album’s strengths. Also singled out are “Ice Cold” and “Burns Out at Midnight”, songs that balance wry humor and existential frustration, deepening the record’s thematic reach. Overall, this is a collection that elevates Crutchfield’s songcraft and affirms Tigers Blood as one of her most dynamically sung and vividly written projects.
Key Points
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The best song is "Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)" for its velvety chorus and standout soloing.
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The album’s core strengths are impeccable hooks, varied timbres, and emotionally complex lyrics.
Themes
Critic's Take
Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood feels like a careful refinement of the template set by Saint Cloud, with Katie Crutchfield’s voice slipping from half-whisper to sneer. The best songs on Tigers Blood - especially “Ice Cold” and “Bored” - show her at the peak of her powers, mixing scuzz and disco-leaning chops. “Ice Cold” is framed as the album highlight, its punchy intro and Nile Rodgers-esque chucks underpinning a sarcastic, sneering delivery. Elsewhere, “Crowbar” and opener “3 Sisters” provide comforting continuity, jangling guitars and lilting falsettos easing the listener in.
Key Points
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“Ice Cold” stands out as the album highlight due to its punchy intro and Nile Rodgers-esque backing.
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The album refines the sound of Saint Cloud, balancing lilting vocals, jangling guitars and moments of scuzzy anger.
Themes
Ho
Critic's Take
Four years after Saint Cloud, Waxahatchee returns with a bolder, sunnier record in Tigers Blood, and the review keeps circling the album’s most magnetic moments. The reviewer singles out “365” as definitive - "the sound of an artist at the peak of their powers" - while flagging the up-tempo religiosity of “Ice Cold” and the earnest charm of “Evil Spawn” as prime examples of the best songs on Tigers Blood. Widescreen opener “3 Sisters” and lead single “Bored” are touted as live favourites, likely to be yelped and whooped on tour. The tone is admiring and assured, presenting these tracks as the album’s hooks and crowd-pleasers.
Key Points
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The best song, “365”, is singled out as evidence of Crutchfield at her creative peak.
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The album’s strengths are catchy hooks, confident songwriting, and a blend of folk, country and Americana that suits live performance.