Singer-songwriter duo Roan Yellowthorn’s(Jackie McLean and Shawn Strack)sophomore studio album, ‘Another Life’ is a rather personal one for frontwoman Jackie McLean. The music came together during the summer of 2019, when McLean decided to put herself in a sensory deprivation situation. McLean says, “Writing about my experiences was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve realized that I am not alone in the experiences I’ve had. None of us are. Once we start to talk about what we’ve lived through, it’s clear - the only thing that isolates us is silence.” The experience was cathartic for McLean, who explored the depths of her difficult, emotionally abusive childhood. Through this process, McLean was able to confront her past shadowed by frequent run-ins with her well-known musician father, and convey a message rooted in healing and rebuilding self-worth. 

Although the songwriting was done in isolation, the music production was a collaborative effort. With producer John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Alvvays, Dinosaur Jr.), Agnello, McLean and Strack, together, created an album of indie rock daydreams filled with dark confessions, self-awareness, and a tinge of fantasy that dares to imagine what it might be like to live “another life.” ‘Another Life’ resists categorization and boasts pops of unexpected sonic color. The music bursts with lush keyboards, Shawn Strack's intricate drums, gentle guitar flourishes, and McLean's keening, incisive voice that reads even clearer with raw, unfiltered vocals. Although airy dream-pop and laid-back '80s synth-pop are touchstones.