Jennifer Castle — Potions

Jennifer Castle has nothing to prove. For 20 years, she has steadily released albums of sharply observed, impeccably performed folk and alt-country, each of them not merely confident but seemingly unconcerned with anything outside of honing her musical expression.

Along the way she has won over high-profile fans, from U.S. Girls and The Weather Station to Dan Bejar and Daniel Romano — the last of whom even recorded a song called “Jennifer Castle” in 2017. Polaris Prize shortlisted and critically admired, you could forgive Castle for coasting if she felt so inclined.