Side two begins with the pastoral post-rock of "brain on ice," a soaring piece almost tender in its elegance, punctuated by the telepathic rapport of damon's percussion and knowler's nimbly the track provides no catharsis but rather hums with a sustained, agitated intensity. Showdown the slow-burn improvisation blends wagster's slingshots of whinnying pedal steel, jordan reyes' rangy synthesizer scramble, and all manner of tube-sizzling, tremolo bar scree by winter, the antidote arrives in the form of the dark-hued "no fear," which sounds like a prelude to a Winter begins to intuitively worry that all this prettiness is making us a tad too comfortable. then, suddenly, williams joins the trio for an interlude of harmonics before the suite concludes with a martial third act in 6/8 time. "davening in threes" continues, at first, the galloping, exuberant feel of its predecessor, as the harmonizing guitars of wagster, knowler, and winter manage to extract beautyįrom a bluegrass breakdown tempo. the sound, largely captured by engineer cooper crain, is light and tight, with a panoramic clarity that renders "for a chisos bluebonnet" begins the album on a perky and playful note, placing winter in conversation with guitarist knowler and pedal steel dynamo sam wagster, displaying in microcosm theĭialectical, sympathetic collaborative language that is a hallmark of the album. assisted by a murderer's row of peers and contemporaries including cameron knowler, yasmin williams, david grubbs, ryley walker, tyler damon, jaimie branch,Īnd others, eli winter showcases a compositional depth and authoritative skill only hinted at on winter's rightfully acclaimed previous work. the result is the sound of an artist escaping any lingering shadows of his primary influences and coming into his own ironically, winter does this by deemphasizing Impeccable technique and an unassuming virtuosity, capable of both mesmerizing intricacy and florid romanticism, but on eli winter he frequently plays a supporting role, creating ample LP (black vinyl) - $22.Ĭhicago-based guitarist / composer eli winter's new self-titled album finds him building on the promise of his recent records-like 2020's unbecoming and his 2021 collaboration withĬameron knowler, anticipation-with a gem of an album on which he leads an ad-hoc group that delicately balances a range of colors and moods. Rose City Band is celebrated guitarist Ripley Johnson.Eli winter eli winter LP (with bandcamp coupon), digital. A prolific songwriter, Johnson started Rose City Band as an outlet nimble enough to match the pace of his writing as well as to explore songwriting styles apart from Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo. Rose City Band allows him to follow his musical muses as they greet him and not be bound by the schedules of bandmates and demands of a touring group. On Earth Trip, Johnson colors songs with a country-rock twang and a melancholic, wistful undertone. ![]() Themes recur such as pining for summers spent in the company of friends to newer meditations on space, stillness and the splendor of the natural world. ![]() Johnson’s laid-back and classically West Coast songs communicate emotions entirely of the moment with both his lyrics, intimate vocal style as well as his elegant elongated guitar lines and astute use of counter-melodies on the pedal steel.Įarth Trip was written during the period of sudden shocks and drastic lifestyle changes of 2020, quite literally “called down off the road” as he sings in elegiac album opener “Silver Roses”. Home for an extended period for the first time in years, he was able to reconnect with simple pleasures of home life: hikes in nature, bathing outside and waking with the dawn. Johnson found hope and healing in forming a more mindful relationship with the natural world, from the simple pleasures of tending a garden to sleeping out under the stars. ![]() “Lonely Places” in particular captures the sheer joy and freedom of losing oneself in nature, an ode to the wealth of natural beauty the west coast provides, as well as the importance of appreciating wild, open spaces. “In the Rain” seeks beauty and hope in life’s darker moments, while “Dawn Patrol” finds solace in the earth’s natural rhythms. Recorded primarily at his home in Portland and mixed by Cooper Crain (Bitchin’ Bajas, Cave), the songs on Earth Trip make deft use of space through their lean arrangements, guest Barry Walker’s shimmering pedal steel, open and elongated guitar melodies, and upfront and intimate vocals.
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