Review | Sarah Jarosz Shines

It’s so easy to feel cynical about life these days, but the heartwrenchingly beautiful crystal clear vocals of Sarah Jarosz uplift me every time I hear them. Every single time. 

Last week’s Lobero stop was in celebration of “10 Years of Undercurrent,” her breakthrough 2016 album which won her two Grammy Awards — Best Folk Album, and Best American Roots Performance for the song “House of Mercy.” Now widely regarded as one of the most talented singer-songwriters in the acoustic music world (her prowess on the mandolin and banjo is also notable), the idea was for 35-year-old Sarah to celebrate and reflect on the songs by 25-year-old Sarah. 

Spoiler alert: the music still sounds great. 

Her husband, bassist, and highly entertaining sidekick Jeff Picker, was along for the ride, with Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins also doing a stellar job as an opening act. While the initial plan was to do the Undercurrent album in order — they eventually did — but they started the show with “Over the Edge,” from her 2013 album Build Me Up From Bones. 

Then it was on to “When The Lights Go Out,” from her 2024 album Polaroid Lovers. The couple shared a funny story about that one, giving us a taste of their easy banter that would continue throughout the night. Apparently, Jeff was scrolling online and a song about lights was getting a LOT of attention. Far more than they would have expected. It turned out that the same day they released “When The Lights Go Out,” Billy Joel released his first song in 30 years. Its title: “Turn the Lights Back On.”

Another new one, “The Way It Is Now,” with a great solo section by Jeff, was up next before they launched into the Undercurrent album. From Track 1, the beautifully spare “Early Morning Light,” through “Green Lights,” and the lovely harmonies of “House of Mercy,” about which Jeff joked, “If you say Sarah’s song titles in the right voice, they all sound like metal songs,” and then proceeded to do just that. “Everything to Hide,” was up next, followed by “Back of My Mind,” “Comin’ Undone,” “Take Another Turn,” and  “Lost Dog,” which Sarah said was still one of her most requested songs, despite the fact that though it was finally “banjo time,” it was “sad emo banjo time” for that tune. 

“Take Me Back,” was up next, with a few adaptations since it was written as a duet with Joey Ryan; followed by “Still Life,” which Jarosz wrote with her I’m With Her bandmate Aoife O’Donovan. “I will be playing the part of Sara (Watkins),” joked Jeff of Sarah’s third bandmate, but he did fill in pretty nicely on the song, which is frequently performed by I’m With Her. 

The Undercurrent part of the set concluded with “Jacqueline,” a song about Jacqueline Kennedy, in her pillbox hat and her bright pink dress, that Jarosz said she wrote when living in New York and was inspired by walking around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park — apparently the last place Jackie was seen in public before she passed away. 

“This was definitely my New York album,” said Jarosz, who was raised in the very small town of Wimberley, Texas and dreamed of living in the big city.  “It’s special to us. Jeff and I had just started dating when we were touring this record.”

She continued, “It’s good to think of the different versions of ourselves. They’re all a part of our story that makes us what we are now.”

A bluegrassy cover of Dolly Parton’s “Marry Me” was a sweet nod to the late artist. They then did a cover of another bluegrass song, “Bramble and the Rose,” before segueing back to Sarah’s 2013 tune “Fuel the Fire” and her Halloween “hit,” titled “Build Me Up From Bones,” which gains many listeners every time it appears on a Halloween streaming list. 

They ended an oh-so-satisfying evening of song with “Runaway Train” and an encore cover of Bob Dylan’s “Ring Them Bells,” with Sarah Jarosz’s crystalline vocals doing a lovely poetic job of making us all feel just a little more alive and a lot more optimistic.