Ivan & Alyosha
It’s All Just Pretend/Dualtone Records
“If freedom is where we are standing/Something is desperately wrong.” This line from the opener “Something Is Wrong” sets the tone for the dynamic sophomore release from the Seattle quintet in more ways than one. Much of the album explores the tension between what makes us free and whether or not we’re using freedom wisely, and often times the songs are juxtaposed against upbeat music. “All This Wandering Around” pairs thumping piano and catchy guitars with musings on not belonging, while the title track has a groovy, hand-clap rock beat that offsets a narrative about trust and mistrust. But that’s not to say that this is a downer of an album. “Come Rain, Come Shine” proves to be an uplifting ode to battle-tested love, and the danceable “Modern Man” is filled to the brim with rock swagger. The guys lean heavier on rock this time around, making it a nice departure from their acoustic folk pop debut, while keeping the insights as sharp as ever.
Josh Garrels
Home/self-released
Avant-garde Portland singer-songwriter Josh Garrels has won legions of fans by fusing folk and hip-hop while candidly rhapsodizing about his struggles with faith in ways that most Christian artists are too afraid to tackle. His latest release, Home, acts as a mild curve ball by comparison. Lyrically, Garrels is as self-
dissecting as ever on tracks like “A Long Way” and “Born Again,” and his delivery ranges from some brief rap to his familiar, molasses-thick falsetto, but the music is what gets you this time around. “Born Again” features a harp, for starters, there’s a jazzy trumpet outro on “Always Be,” and “Home at Last” incorporates a ukulele intro and strings, then finishes with a sequence that sounds like a New Orleans brass band. Add in his customary bone-rattling folk-hop (“Leviathan”) and some stirring Americana (“Morning Light”), for a beautifully diverse record that cuts deep in its exploration of the self and the world.
Danny Schmidt
Owls/Live Once Records
Earlier this month, former Charlottesville resident and singer-songwriter Danny Schmidt treated fans to a sneak peek of his new solo record, Owls, at the Southern. The new tracks demonstrate that Schmidt has grown more evocative with his lyrics (particularly on the stirring ballad “Cry On The Flowers”), and the ragged, melodic timbre of his vocals impress throughout, whether on Americana rock numbers (“Soon The Earth Shall Swallow”) or laid-back folk tracks (“All The More To Wonder”). Schmidt draws you into this record with his dramatic-yet-subtle storytelling prowess on the closer “Wings of No Restraint” and the standout track—“Looks Like God”—flows with poetic imagery. Whether observing the plight of the small town farmer or getting introspective about the past, Schmidt does it with a keen focus that results in an articulate, beautiful record.
