The Mus-o-meter registers Sharon Van Etten's 'Epic'

By Meredith Deliso

With last year’s “Because I Was in Love,” Sharon Van Etten established herself as an authority on lovelorn folk songs. She’s quickly following that effort up with more sad, intimate songs on love and heartache that cut right through you (hear her tonight at the Rock Shop). But to really get a sense of what it’s all about, we leave that to the Mus-o-meter, who has been known to break a few hearts, too.

Take the wise-beyond-her-years, husky voice of Cat Power on “The Greatest.” Then add …

The thick emotion of Beirut’s sophomore album, “The Flying Club Cup.” Then add …

The sparse, guitar-heavy folk of Bon Iver’s 2008 debut, “For Emma, Forever Ago.” The result?

Sharon Van Etten’s sophomore album, “Epic.”