Similar Artists: Alice in Chains, Mark Lanegan, Thurston Moore
Former Alice in Chains guitarist releases his first solo work in 19 years, and the results are pleasantly compelling. An all-star cast of characters (Duff Mckagen, Gil Sharrone, and Greg Puciato) joined Cantrell in the studio, and Cantrell produced this remarkable work.
Cantrell describes the album as "a journey up through darkness to light." Brighten is filled with space; within that space, Cantrell reflects on the past two decades of healing and growth.
The opening track, Atone, is one that Cantrell tells us has haunted him for twenty years. It is a soundscape that could serve as a soundtrack for a late-sixties spaghetti western. His grunge has mellowed with age and, as mixed with country and folk, creates something altogether new.
Prism of Doubt, the most rhythmic and harmonious track, is a triumph of wills in which the singer recognizes his shortcomings, and no matter how his perspective has changed over the years, it is an unshakable prism of doubt that shapes his thoughts.
The undertones of Brighten are that of a guilty man who feels he has gotten away with something and does not deserve his lot in life. The pathos is palpable and identifiable, yet the story is spun with threads of lessons learned and hope - as if stepping out into the sun after a long season of rain.
When the dust of Cantrell's not-so-everyday life settles, we're treated to a surprisingly fitting finale, a cover of Elton John's "Goodbye." Here we hear Cantrell's voice in relative isolation, in this reviewer's opinion letting listeners know that what we have just experienced only comes around every few decades and don't expect anything more for quite some time.
Similar Artists: My Morning Jacket, Wilco, M. Ward
James Wallace, singer, songwriter, and producer behind Skyway Man describes his third studio album, The World Only Ends When You Die, as "a spinning disc flashing the finest examples of cosmological country and sci-fi gospel blues." If that's not enough to give it a listen, I don't know what is. After I did, I found his description quite apt. There's a lot of soul here, a lot of good ole fireside foot-stomping, and enough howls at the moon to make the wolves think you're one of their own.
Songs such as "Night Walking, Alone," "Sometimes Darkness…," and "Common Void" reveal the sonic easiness of early My Morning Jacket while "Muddy Water" is so early Dylan-esque it feels as if it belongs on one of the New Basement Tapes Dylan cover albums alongside Marcus Mumford's "Going Back to Kansas City."
The World Only Ends When You Die is construed by the artist as a cinematic psych-folk opera about a person rendered incapable of coping with an uncertain reality following a near-death experience. Under a spell of mixed wisdom by several "trickster guides" hailing from the future, they leap back into the world of the dead only to spend a hero's journey climbing out, finally returning to the strange American existence of 2020.
After Wallace's lyrics seep into the listener's consciousness, a realization sets in that while the struggles we've all faced within the uncertainty of 2020 have hardened us, that hardening has also left us stronger and better prepared to take on whatever the future brings.
"Muddy water like a piece of ancient church glass flowing. We're on the darkest stretch, but the bend ahead is glowing."
"Sometimes darkness in the mind, sometimes it leaves us."
"Don't feel bad about being alive. Sometimes the ship rocks you side-to-side. Some hold tightly, some watch the moonrise bobbing up and down in the water."
I've given this album a good ten listens, and the beauty of it doesn't fade after two or three. In fact, the more I listen, it seems the more I discover. A welcome start to the 2021 year in music.
Similar Artists: Wilco, Band of Horses, War on Drugs
The first trip over The Waterfall in 2015 was a comfortable, if not sleepy ride. The landing was soft with a return to the band's trademark sonic weightlessness, countrified arpeggios, and soaring vocals, which brought bastions of bohemians to their shows in the early 2000s. In this regard, The Waterfall was a refreshing yet largely forgettable trip down the river. For me, The Waterfall II stays in the groove, yet takes more chances. Although these songs were conceived and recorded in the same sessions at Stinson Beach, California, in 2015, there's something about II that feels more carefree and unhinged.
Such is the nature of My Morning Jacket fandom. One man's Tennesse Fire is another man's Circuital. The taste of their followers is diverse, and much like The Grateful Dead, it is rare that any two fans agree on their best album. My personal belief that Evil Urges is among their best work is shared by few and ridiculed by others. No matter where you stand, all MMJ fans will agree, their studio work is but a framework for their live performances. Listening to The Waterfall II, I couldn't stop imagining what these songs would sound like live and in living color.
What comes off the record as cautious and cliched refrains paced with pauses and pulses of electric guitar, comes off live as a rocketship toward another sonic dimension. The pacing and texture of the studio work allow for experimentation on stage. The pauses are filled will blazing guitar solos, the cliches ring like a bell of truth in the night. The band's chemistry forms and a masterclass jam band emerges and resonates.
One such song from The Waterfall II is the brilliant "Wasted," which comes upon you like a sunrise saturating the listener in light and sound. A chorus of "Ohhh" s punctuate a series of deep riffs before the prophetic vocals of Jim James ride over it all. "You've been wasting too much time lately. You've been gone. An illusion then, but one more pressing." At 2:42, a guitar solo kicks in that will make you stand up to absorb the glory imagining the band 20 feet away from you on stage on a hot summer night. When the demons are exorcised, you'll feel the air grow colder and watch the sun as it sets in the distance. Few bands hold such power.
"Magic Bullet" borrows a funk groove that Bootsy Collins would be proud to lay down. Again, a squealing guitar takes over the show mid-way, and the completely takes over as the song fades to black. "Run It" adds a gospel chorus over a dancing piano melody. "Can't try much harder to get back to water, gonna get back hotter, get back, get back to water. Set my mind free."
"Beautiful Love (Wasn't Enough)" keeps the freewheeling spirit going. The soulful lyrics strike a nerve, and the guitar work, which sounds like new sneakers twisting on a wooden gymnasium floor, is unlike anything I've ever heard.
There are other strong tracks on this album, yet these four stand out as the gems. They are innovative, and if they sound this good on the album, I can't wait to hear them live. Some sleepier Jim James solo-ey type tracks found their way onto the record, and that's to be expected. You can't have the chicken without the grits. If I had my way, I'd keep James focused on collaborating with this skill group of musicians that have built undeniable chemistry and sound unique and incredible, rather than chasing ideological butterflies in the church of his solo career.
Overall, I'm thankful that these songs have been packaged and released. My Morning Jacket sounds as powerful and innovative as ever. The band toured in the summer of 2019, and James described the shows as among his favorite MMJ performances. He said the group worked through some of their personal issues in advance of the shows. More good news coming out of this release is James announcing the band has a fresh full-length, all ready to go. Keeping true to its live performance prowess, it's been said that the new album won't be released until the band can tour immediately behind it. This will eventually happen!
Score: 68 Genre: Alt-Country Release Date: January 31, 2020
It's been said that giving a voice to your sorrows and fears helps to make them go away. Drive-By Truckers 12th studio release, The Unraveling is a confession and a testimony, a somber cry in the night, a prayer for the dawn to set the course for a brighter day. If you are turning to Drive-by Truckers to escape the harsh realities of the current political climate, turn elsewhere. The Unraveling tackles gun violence, immigration, white nationalism, equal pay, and armageddon with a velvet hammer. The music is a blend of slow-churning alt-county grooves with cry-in-the-night guitar wailing riding on the heavy rails of melancholy keyboard dirges. The slow builds on songs such as "Grievance Merchants" erupt into fury at the end. Like a conversation that turns to confrontation, Drive-By Truckers add an underlying drama to these songs, intensifying the listening experience. "Awaiting Resurrection" puts one in the mind of Neil Young's On the Beach period. Make no mistake, The Unraveling is a dark and heavy offering. If you're not in that mindset already, these songs will put you there. There are a few rockers such as "Armageddon's Back in Town" and "Slow Ride Argument," which provide the necessary anger for the lyrics. When the tempo slows, and brooding air fills the space between the notes, the anger turns to anguish. Skillfully crafted lyrics and arrangements move songs like "21st Century USA" and "Thoughts and Prayers," one a step away from cliche. The latter, along with "Awaiting Resurrection," make up the strongest songs on the album. In essence, The Unraveling has the vibe of hanging out with a friend in a bar. Each song is a topic of conversation about the state of the community, country, and planet. Not all conversation is comfortable, but that's the way things go after a few beers. In the end, you'll have caught up, commiserated, gained some perspective, and grown closer to your fellow man. - Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen
