Sister John – I Am By Day – album review

Sister John’s third long payer, I Am By Day, finally got it’s official release last week on Last Night From Glasgow after what feel’s like a lifetime’s anticipation. The follow up to Returned from Sea and their eponymous second album was absolutely worth the wait. I’m not sure there are enough superlatives in the English language to describe how listening to this record makes me feel.

For the uninitiated, first I need to say, what’s taken you so long? But, by way of trying to give an indication of what to expect, try to imagine if some of the members of Fleetwood Mac had decided to join forces with The Velvet Underground and created their own blend of divine avant-garde folky Americana and you’re partly there. You really need to listen to them to truly be captured and captivated by the pure unsullied beauty of their sound.

Spine Tingles

From the opening vibration and crystal-clear arresting initial vocal of I’ll Be Your Life, my spine tingles. The instruments build and layer, and by the way there isn’t a wasted or superfluous note, everything played is sublime and in perfect harmony. Those lyrics and that voice. I haven’t heard such an effective opening song on an album in an age. What an affecting last line – “Maybe today I’ll ignore myself”.

As I scrape myself off the floor, the familiar opening jangly guitars of the single In My Place are filling the air. The divine riffing matched with gossamer smooth vocals helps me recover my composure, just in time for the strings at the start of Strange Ideas to give me goosebumps as the hair on my arms stands on its ends. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you have to have crunching guitars and power chords to have a song hit you between the eyes and blow you away. The reserved and understated nature of Strange Ideas blows my tiny mind. This album is proving to be a powerhouse of emotion and subtle perfection.

Unfettered Downbeat Splendour

What I Want shifts things into a different gear entirely, the simple lyric’s throughout – Can I Do What I Want/I’ll Do What I Want – changing meaning several times through the song as the vocal emphasis changes. Paired with a minimalistic beat and some delicious riffs it has a strength and power beyond its component parts. This is followed by another familiar song in the unfettered downbeat splendour of How Can I Keep It Alive? closing out the side with some alluring guitar work.

The album continues to flourish as The Bud opens, revealing its previously untold irresistible appeal to this already captivated listener, growing into an enthralling charismatic instrumental.

What follows is a trio of some of the most affecting songs I’ve had the fortune to hear in recent years. As I imagine is the same for many in the last 18 months, I’ve been on a bit of a rollercoaster trying to keep anxiety and depression in check. As a result, my emotions have been very close to the surface over the last few months. If you hear these songs yourself, you’ll probably know what state I was in on listening to these three sensitive and poignant songs. Especially on Over Again with its breathy repeated whisper of “mistakes you make over and over again” and as the song reaches its climax the repetition of “the deeper you go the water gets higher”. Utterly compelling.

Inspired

If I’ll Be Your Life was the perfect opening track, then Glasgow Is a Rainbow matches this inspired choice in being the ideal song to close the album. There could be no other song on this selection that could have closed this nigh on flawless album. A soaring melody and truly inspirational lyric that leaves you high on life, ready to take on whatever the day decides to throw at you, as the strings reach their apex.

Sister John have excelled themselves on this album, it will be hard to find an album this year that touches every emotion so effectively and sympathetically, nary a wasted note, lyric or melody. It feels like such a personal album it will be interesting to stand in a crowded room in December watching them perform these songs live.

Get the album from Last Night From Glasgow