WHITELANDS, NIGHT-BOUND EYES ARE BLIND TO THE DAY

Back in 2019, guitarist and singer Etienne Quartey-Papafio stumbled upon the reformed Slowdive’s KEXP session on YouTube. He immediately connected with the band’s shoegazing sound. It became the new reference point for Whitelands, the black four piece band that Etienne had formed with guitarist Michael Adelaja, bassist Vanessa Govinden and drummer Jagun Meseorisa.  

“There’s an underlying narrative that it’s OK for white men to be romantic, sensitive, emotional and make dreamy music and, by contrast, young Black men should be making angry music. We’ve all grown up with these stereotypes and therefore I think people are mystified when they see Whitelands.”.  Vanessa Govinden

Five years on, the band arrive with their debut album, Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day.  On it, the band play with beautifully layered, swirling, and etherial walls of sound that harken back to the late ‘80 and early ‘90’s when shoegazing bands were peaking. Set back and obscured by this wall are lyrics dealing with everything from vulnerability, unbalanced relationships, and personal struggles to racism, tokenism, and imperialism. Listening to Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day has been such a treat. It is everything that I want from a shoegazing album and have found myself lost in it more than once.

JAH LIL, CAN A MAN CRY

“For centuries men have been hiding their true feelings. We were never provided that safe space. It’s reflecting in society.” Jah Lil.

 

Born and raised in the Jamaican downtown Kingston ghetto, Jah Lil grew up in a very violent community. But he grew up around good people and it gave his family the necessary tools to survive those hard times. One of those tools was music. Especially gospel music which would lead him as a teenager to a government sponsored gospel song competition which he won with the song ‘Weeping Men.’

On his debut album, Can A Man Cry, Lil strives to create that safe space where men can express themselves by sharing his own life stories and emotions while conveying messages of love, inspiration, and encouragement. Set against a musical backdrop of relaxing Reggae grooves, Can A Man Cry is one of the standout albums this year.

DAVID GILMOUR, LUCK AND STRANGE

David Gilmour released his first solo album in 1978. Now 78 years young, Gilmour has released just his fifth studio album, Luck and Stranger.  Beyond the fact that Gilmour is still making music at his stage in life, what's amazing to me is just how good he sounds 46 years on...both his voice and his guitar playing. Both are vintage Gilmour. 

What is different is the tone and tenor of Gilmour's lyrics. There’s no escaping time and on Luck and Strange, Gilmour spends much of his time ruminating on the finiteness of life's journey. Combining Gilmour's lyrics with his vocals and guitar and you get something that is truly special. Luck and Strange is an elegant and dignified album that stands apart from his past albums. I don't know if this is Gilmour's last album or not, but if it is, it's a fitting ending to a storied career as an artist.

LEON BRIDGES, LEON

Leon Bridges’ self-titled fourth album has really been a lifetime in the making. Through thirteen songs, Bridges journeys through "The heart" of Ft. Worth, TX where he grew up, sharing stories about about home, about nostalgia, and his upbringing. Ultimately, it's music that Bridges hopes takes every lister back to their own roots and journey. 

Recorded and produced by Ian Fitchuk (Kacey Musgrave, Maggie Rogers), Leon has a timeless sense about it and is an incredibly soulful album.

 

BONNY LIGHT HORSEMAN, KEEP ME ON YOUR MIND/SEE YOU FREE

Bonny Light Horseman's Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free is "an ode to the blessed mess of our humanity." With themes exploring love, loss, hope, and community, this double album feels intimate rather than overwhelming. 

Written in 2023, its creation began in an Irish pub chosen by Anaïs Mitchell, where the trio, Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman, found inspiration in the pub's deep sense of community, and of family forged over many decades. That spirit of togetherness shines throughout the album, lifting its emotional weight and delivering a collection of songs that offers hope and joy. I just loved every minute of Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free. It's simply a wonderful collection of songs.

LAUGHING, BECAUSE IT'S TRUE

What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding? Apparently lots. Montreal-based Laughing's debut album, Because It's True, is the band's "honest attempt at inviting you in on the cosmic joke." Joke or not, Because It's True has been one of the more pleasant surprises for me this year. Taking cues from indie rock bands from the 90's and early 00's such as Fountains Of Wayne and Built To Spill, Laughing has crafted eleven guitar driven pop-rock gems that sparkle with energy and positive vibes. 

 

 

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