The unexpected return of singer/songwriter Linda Perhacs can be genuinely described as a small miracle. The last we heard about the influencial singer/songwriter was in 1970, when she was considered an integral part of the West Coast psychedelic scene. That sole debut she recorded, Parallelograms, has become a valuable artifact for freak folk artists like Sufjan Stevens and Devendra Banhart, both of whom knew that Perhacs hadn’t sung her last farewell. "River of God" doesn’t stray too much from what made Perhacs such an enigmatic figure – the contemplative track ponders the existence of a higher power with a purity that’s far removed from the skepticism about faith that has increasingly grown in the last decade. That thought is inherently embedded in its delicate frame, one that becomes clearer as its gentle acoustic flourishes and haunting harmonies (backup vocals provided by Julia Holter) provide a funereal yet optimistic atmosphere. But the beauty of "God" matches with a simple, more potent message she shared recently on her facebook page: "Music can sooth the savage beast in everyone." No better words could describe this joyful emergence. – Juan Rodríguez
