For months, the only way to hear Adam Haworth Stephens’ solo material was to go to a Two Gallants show and see it happen by chance. Finally, the San Francisco native has a full-length album of his own. The recently released We Live on Cliffs achieves an intimacy to which Two Gallants—Stephens’ well-established indie-rock project with Tyson Vogel—cannot comfortably venture. With an unwavering lyrical center and vocals that assume a rare magic under strain—all neatly hemmed by seasoned producer Joe Chiccarelli, who has worked with indie giants like The Shins and The White Stripes—We Live on Cliffs generates a number of electric moments that clearly demonstrate what all the buzz is about. Go see his album release show this Saturday, October 2nd at the Independent.

Image by Jerome de Perlignhi