The essence of the album is encapsulated in the opening sentence: "Hana says if the state is permanent, darling, then it's not a crisis." In this sense, "Shut Up and Sing" is a post-apocalyptic album filled with ambiguous lyrics that may or may not relate to life during the pandemic. Ambiguity has been a hallmark of the author's work so far, but now, with bolder, simultaneously more solid and riskier arrangements, it has gained a new instrumental framework. This is Sara Renar's most mature album, although, due to all these characteristics, it will likely not be as widely embraced as her highly acclaimed predecessor, "Silences" from 2016. Yet, that's the charm—to keep moving forward, even when you don't know what's ahead or when it might not be the smartest choice. - Karlo Rafaneli, Musicbox.hr