Missing Treeline Music Fest? Play these 5 albums this weekend

Some Columbians will find this weekend a bit too quiet.

This was supposed to be Treeline Music Fest weekend, and the festival's cancelation leaves an absence. Rocheport's Biscuits, Beats and Brews did listeners a solid, stepping into the now-empty space on the calendar and offering one of the strongest Missouri music lineups imaginable.

Still, the loss of certain songs, certain sounds brings a loud silence. If you're missing Treeline this weekend, these five records — enjoyed on your own time, perhaps with a favorite drink or indulgent meal — will offer at least some consolation. They bring festival artists to your ears and survey some of the planned lineup's depth.

Nicole Atkins, "Memphis Ice" (2021)

Really, there should be two records at play here. "Memphis Ice" finds Atkins, the New Jersey-based singer with vintage vinyl in her veins, re-imagining the songs from 2020's "Italian Ice" with a stripped-down, string-adorned approach. The inherent poetry and drama in Atkins' voice expresses itself on cuts like the devastating "St. Dymphna," the deeply romantic "A Road to Nowhere" and the warm, rhythmic, somewhere-past-midnight feel of "In the Splinters." Spinning "Memphis Ice" really feels like having Atkins and Co. right in your living room, a beautifully overwhelming feeling.

Ethel Cain, "Preacher's Daughter" (2022)

"American Teenager," which anchors Cain's record from last year, is be one of the more vital rock 'n' roll anthems in recent memory. Propulsive and shadowy, the cut uses a mythic sound to strip away every last myth about growing up in a small town. Think Springsteen translated through the life of a trans woman from the South. After you play "American Teenager" on repeat a dozen times or so, sit with the other sprawling gems from "Preacher's Daughter," including "Western Nights" and "Thoroughfare."

Sierra Ferrell, "Long Time Coming" (2021)

Among a rich contemporary crop of songwriters from West Virginia (see also John R. Miller, Charles Wesley Godwin and more), Ferrell projects a singular personality: spirited and sad-eyed, unflinching yet well-acquainted with heartsickness. "Long Time Coming" is a complete musical document, bluegrass, country, folk and early jazz twined with a punk demeanor. These songs are shot through with ghosts ("The Sea"), amble at their own pace ("Jeremiah"), grasp a sort of woozy hope against hope ("At the End of the Rainbow") and send clear-eyed odes back home ("West Virginia Waltz").

Japanese Breakfast, "Jubilee" (2021)

The sound of an indie-pop artist becoming a generational great, "Jubilee" shows off Japanese Breakfast leader Michelle Zauner's master mind. These songs shimmer and swoop, diving deep into currents of vulnerability before rising again. "Paprika," "Be Sweet" and "Kokomo, IN" might from one of the best 1-2-3 opening punches on any record; and later cuts like "Savage Good Boy" only expound on the lush, visceral goodwill Zauner establishes early.

Salt-N-Pepa, "Very Necessary" (1993)

Any of Salt-N-Pepa's records — especially their first four — will move you past sadness, into something like a buoyant joy. But if you want to "Shoop" or consider "Whatta Man," this is your pick. The five-times platinum record also features the easy, slinky reggae of "Groove Me," the shimmering bedroom-eyes soul of "No One Does It Better" and the glorious, percussive bravado of "None of Your Business." (Also the spelling of "Salt" and call to "pump up the bass" at the beginning of "Break of Dawn" is an all-time hip-hop moment.)

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 5 albums to play this weekend if you're missing Treeline festival