Sabrina Mae Teitelbaum, who is known under the stage name “Blondshell,” has now released her third studio album “Violins.” The singer based in Los Angeles is recognized as an indie rock artist, however, there are also some slight inclinations towards folk in her work recently. Folk-rock has been a very favored genre in the year of 2026 for music, and Teitelbaum just added another album to the list. 

Being fully transparent, this is not a genre of music I typically gravitate towards. I actually fell asleep on my first listen of “Violins.” However, during my nap, my streaming service autoplayed similar songs in the range of Teitelbaum’s genre. These songs by artists such as The Beths (“Straight Line Was A Lie”), She’s in Parties (“Are You Dreaming?”) and Twen (“Fate Euphoric”) were so beautiful that they motivated me to give “Violins” another honest effort. Boy, am I glad I did.

Teitelbaum is more than just an angsty storyteller on “Violins.” She focuses on sharing a feeling over a meaning. According to Under The Radar, the artist states “I don’t think there actually is one underlying theme.” She goes on to say the album includes themes of healing, body image, misogyny, and even beyond that. Teitelbaum believes forcing “Violins” to have a distinct meaning would just be a marketing tactic. 

“Violins” is an album to explore as campus begins to change into the autumn season. Teitelbaum encapsules the feeling of loneliness, hardships, and adapting to new situations. Certain tracks such as “Sea Legs” and “Knotted” give listeners a nostalgic-feel of memories they never had. Teitalbaum paints pictures with her acoustic guitar and sweet-sorrow melodies. “Violins” impacts in a similar way to the album “Preacher’s Daughter” by Ethel Cain (Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You). 

The album is getting mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. Some feel as if it is a let down compared to past releases. Others think “Violins” is head and shoulders above the rest of her discography. Going in blind to this album with no prior knowledge of Teitelbaum’s past work, “Violins” seems pretty honorable. The common consensus appears to be that the track “Heart Has to Work So Hard” is the best of the album. This song is a powerful, femme fatale number with a slight country twang. 

As already stated, this is not a typical album I would branch out into. That being said, my journey with “Violins” is evidence that everyone should always keep an open mind when reviewing and listening to new music. The more one will listen to the album, the more one will appreciate Taeitelbaum’s craft. I can envision this album being a part of a soundtrack for an upcoming “coming of life” A24 girl-boss film. 

While “Violins” is a decent album, this is not one I would come back to often. If some of the tracks came on shuffle, they’d be enjoyable at any time, but not a full album listen. Even still, “Violins” is an enjoyable, emotional ride that deserves whatever flowers it will get thrown.