Mississipi Records / Marissa Anderson : Traditional Public Domain Songs LP

Marisa Anderson doesn't just play guitar — she sinks into bends and lingers over melodies, knowing when to light a fire under her fingers and when to wind like a creek. Mississippi Records, the Portland-based label and record store that released The Golden Hour and Mercury, is now reissuing Traditional And Public Domain Songs with different artwork and a couple new tracks.

"Traditional And Public Domain Songs is an exploration of the relationship between evangelical Christianity and state-sanctioned violence," Anderson tells NPR. "I spent a year as artist in residence at KBOO community radio in Portland, researching church songs, patriotic songs, murder ballads and old folk songs. Because the record is an instrumental guitar record, I chose melodies that, to me, stand on their own, transcending their lyrics. I love these songs, but I find myself unable to present them without context."

In the hands of Marisa Anderson, "Amazing Grace" is not just a salvation hymn but also a tremolo-streaked plea for accountability.