Dacus’ breathtaking 2015 debut album, No Burden, earned her the heavy title of indie rock’s “next big thing.” It wasn’t without merits: a gifted songwriter and skilled guitarist with a shape-shifting voice that growls as effortlessly as it glides, she's the rare sort of artist who seemed to arrive fully formed. But Historian proves the 22-year-old is just getting started. Rich with daring left turns (album opener “Night Shift” stretches an intrepid six and a half minutes) and penetrating lyrics about death and grief (“Pillar of Truth”), it’s a scintillating sophomore album that’s rooted in sadness and resolved in hope.