On her eighth album release, ‘Long Day in the Milky Way’, Kris Delmhorst is an artist who shines in her ability to write hope-filled songs in dark times using the inspiration of nature.
Beautifully produced, ‘Long Day in the Milky Way’ has the laid back feel of ‘Laurel Canyon’-era Joni Mitchell, mixed with the lyricism of Neil Young. Using themes of nature to portray strength and hope, songs such as ‘Golden Crown’, ‘Wind’s Gonna Find A Way’, and the harmonious ‘Horses in the Sky’ are early highlights.
Throughout the album, Delmhort’s lyrics are incredibly detailed as they deal with the contradictions that life throws up. As she explains:
As these songs arrived, they brought words of encouragement I realized I myself needed to hear. Not in a shallow way, like “everything’s fine”. They felt like a friend’s voice saying; “look, I get it, life gets incredibly dark. And you need to find a way to stay connected to the beautiful parts”.
Mixing pop sensibilities with Americana, ‘Secret Girl’, and the Rickie Lee Jones penned ‘The Horses’ are catchy and melodic treats. Whereas, the tonal shift on ‘Nothing ‘Bout Nothing’ is a stinging rebuke on self-centredness.
Closing the album, ‘Call Off The Dogs’ is a dreamy song, soaked in nature, that urges the listener to let go of things they can’t control and to instead embrace new opportunities.
‘Long Day in the Milky Way’ is a beautiful record by a songwriter at the top of her game.