Normally “solo” projects develop
after bandmates become sick of each other (or their conflicting ideas) and
separation/creative freedom is needed. Junip blossomed from the exact opposite. The Swedish born Jose Gonzalez was first a very successful solo
artist. According to interviews, he
found touring “solo” to be very lonely. Thus, his friends Elias Araya (drums) and Tobias Winterkorn (organ, moog
synth) joined him. Their first album, Fields, was released in 2010. After
three years, Junip returns with the self-titled Junip. I believe this collaborative approach was the
right decision for Gonzalez, as the album contains some of his greatest music to
date.
Junip can best be described as chilled out drone rock with
a vibrant and intricate rhythm section. The vocals have an urgency to them even with their ghostliness. The album's first track and single, “Line Of Fire,” happens
to be its finest moment. A descent on
the organ and flickering guitar begin
this journey of somberness and triumph. “What would you do, if it all came back to you, each crest of each wave,
bright as lightning.” Gonzalez's lyrics
may occasionally feel simple, but his impassioned deliveries give them
radiance.
“Line Of Fire” is Junip's strongest track because it shows
the band's true capabilities. It
transports the listener to a sad and magical place, keeping him/her there for
longer than the duration of the song.
The accompanying music video is awesomely done. I recommend you watch it as soon as possible (see below).
Many other songs on the album do not achieve this level of
excellence. In fact, there are only
three other compositions that leave a lasting impression. They happen to be fantastic though. On the attitude filled “So Clear,” the
skillful interplay between guitar and moog synth jumps out. The chorus is aggressively catchy. “Your Life, Your Call” is the album's second
single and actually represents “Part II” of the music video series. It is not quite as powerful as “Part I,” aka,
“Line Of Fire.” The track, however, is
the catchiest one on the album and will get stuck in your head for days.
The last wonderful song on Junip is “Walking Lighty,” a feel good tune from an otherwise
morose album (not that that's a bad thing). The percussion is especially engaging here with the addition of the
woodblock. This may even be considered a
danceable song!
Unfortunately, the other music that fills the album feels
like, GASP, filler material. These six
remaining compositions are mostly slow and plodding mood setters. They are backgrounds to songs without any
real meat. The aforementioned four
tracks give us the atmosphere, but also give us great songwriting to hold on
to.
While it is a challenge to listen through Junip in its
entirety without getting bored, the songs that stand out really do stand out
among today's better music.
Grade: B+
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