One’s That Got Away
Despite me trying to keep on top of things this year, inevitably things always escape me. I have the best of intentions of posting reviews, listening to everything that is sent to me (as well as the stuff I buy myself), but life gets in the way sometimes… Here is the first in another series I’ll probably start, then never get around to following up on. Anyway. I’m aiming to do some mini reviews of albums I’ve been enjoying this year that I meant to review when they were released but then shit got in the way…. Welcome to “One’s That Got Away”. First Up – Jeshua and his sublime album Unreliable Narrator.
Jeshua – Unreliable Narrator
Jeshua is the nom de plume of Glasgow based/Dundee born Joshua Gray and far from being unreliable, his entirely self produced debut album is a charming set of exquisite and bewitchingly narrated dream pop tales. The vocals are blissed out and almost celestial. Made all the more charming with the hints of his Dundonian accent slipping through at various point. Musically the guitar lines sing and soar in a heavenly manner.
Feel so Alive
Feel So Alive opens the album and it feels like walking in a field of wild flowers, face raised to the heavens, basking in the glow of warm sunshine. A feel good effect which remains throughout the album as you bathe in the tenderness and gratifying sense of contentment and comfort which the delicately beautiful but fiercely effective songs impart.
Album highlights? Of course, the album opener Feel So Alive. It sets the scene for the rest of this album. Elsewhere, the raw emotion of Esther is hard to beat, a heartfelt song dedicated to his grandmother. IDK is a personal favourite too, possibly my favourite song in this collection. Its intro is almost goth like, bringing to mind a cross between later era Siouxsie & the Banshees and Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes, before the keyboard parts seemingly pay homage to the classic Bronski Beat debut, Smalltown Boy. Having picked out these favourites, it would be remiss of me not to mention there isn’t a song on this album I wouldn’t listen to time and again
All told, this as an unassuming but accomplished album, from an undoubtedly talented artist. Jeshua deserves to be heard far and wide. I for one hope to hear a lot more from him in the coming months and years.