We’re excited by the prospect of a new album by Sharon Van Etten, but this one is a little different. The self-titled LP (due Feb. 7, 2025)  will be the debut of her collaborative work with her band The Attachment Theory — adding a new dimension to the sound and songwriting. “For the first time in my life I asked the band if we could just jam,” Van Etten muses. “Words that have never come out of my mouth, ever! But I loved all the sounds we were getting. I was curious. What would happen?” Magic, apparently. Van Etten went on to share that two tracks from the forthcoming album were written within the span of an hour through this process. We’ll have to wait to hear those, but we can all enjoy “Afterlife” right now. It’s a good preview of what’s to come with its weighty message boosted by a rapturous melody.