With the 15th album of his career, Damien Jurado has returned to his melodic ruminations of life, and the living. The lyrics might be imponderable and obscure at times but there’s a pleasure to be had in the questioning. Jurado has always been restless in his search for a sound, and rarely will an album ape the previous one.
Following on from last year’s purely acoustic ‘In The Shape Of A Storm’, the sound is fuller. Speaking exclusively to Folk and Tumble earlier this year, Jurado stated:
I’m obsessed with production. I took liberties to explore the sound – trying things that I’ve never done on a record. The bass is very much the lead instrument on this record. You’re gonna hear the vocals very upfront. There’s no effects on it.
It is clear this album is sonically far away from the much-lauded, reverb and effects-laden, ‘Maraqopa’ trilogy. Strong melodies remain, the McCartney-esque references are there, yet this is an artist who sets bars rather than following trends.
The lyrics are as poetic and ponderous as ever, allied to those rich, yet simple tunes.
When you hide away the daylight, the thief, he comes to rob you with arms stretched out like a cousin. We are fiction as it’s written, the bleeding ink on paper, quiet as an airplane before it hits the mountain.
Jurado’s voice remains a thing of quiet beauty; at times a soft reassurance, slightly cracked along the edges. It’s an album full of little gems, which no doubt will become part of Damien’s live set for years to come. ‘Birds Tricked Into The Trees’, ‘Arthur Aware’ and ‘Fool Maria’ look set to be Jurado standards.
‘Ochoa’ is a touching ode to his former collaborator, and producer of the previously mentioned ‘Maraqopa’ cycle, who passed away two years ago. ‘Alice Hyatt’ showcases his enigmatic lyrics to the full.
Micheal was the alphabet. Susan was a play. I was busy being myself. There are things. There are people. There are things.There are people.
It’s a quietly introspective album with intriguing wordplay and enquiring entreaties. Don’t expect too many answers but this is such a beautiful search.