Album : Jonathan Wilson
Title: Gentle Spirit
Label: Bella Union
Release: 13th September
Rating: 8.1
The title Gentle Spirit encapsulates the nature of Jonathan Wilson’s new album perfectly. His sound is one of sweetness and calm, with each precisely named track seeming to conjure a journey to individual places of tranquillity, undoubtedly reflective of his North Carolina home.
The title trackprovides a slightly melancholy start to the record, but this is soon overtaken by tracks such as the more upbeat Desert Raven and the beautiful contentedness of Canyon in the Rain.
Frequently, Wilson’s voice is little more than a lush whisper, perfectly complimented by an elegant blend of acoustic guitar and delicate percussion. A definite highlight is the album’s closing song Valley of the Silver Moon, which uses an array of scuffling sound effects and echoes in the opening, giving way to the wistful call of an electric guitar and trembling organ pads.
With each track extensively detailed and layered, Wilson succeeds in creating an exciting new landscape for the mind’s eye. This really is a beautiful album. It may not be particularly energetic or full of sing-along choruses, but what it lacks in raw energy it more than makes up for in stylish elegance and great musicianship.
Canyon In The Rain by jonathanwilson
Words And Thoughts Of Anna Lumsden
