Wilson, Jonathan: Gentle Spirit

In a year full of tragedies, many people are in search of something that both ties them back to a better past and maybe points in the direction of at least a gentler spirit for the future. This album captures that timeless longing and provides a quality of substance regarding hope, nature, and realizing how important our surroundings are to us, as it seeks to remind us of the treasured ideal of patience in waiting for that gentle spirit to re-emerge. As Wilson says, "The title track 'Gentle Spirit' is the first tune on the album. I was searching for some sort of positive theme somewhere out there in the abyss and for it to enter the ears and maybe the heart of someone listening. And it's just a positive energy to start out the album, a sonic welcome" (http://songsofjonathanwilson.com/, 2011).

"(Jonathan) Wilson, a native of Forest City, North Carolina. Whether working with promising new recording artists like the band Dawes, contemporary artists, such as Erykah Badu and Elvis Costello, or Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, Jackson Browne, and Robbie Robertson, Wilson provides direction and support. Gary Louris, the singer from The Jayhawks, singer Andy Cabic and drummer Otto Hauser, of the band Vetiver, and pedal steel player Josh Grange all played on the record. Adam McDougal plays Hammond organ, (from the Black Crowes), drummer Brian Geltner, legendary bassist Gerald Johnson, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and Gary Mallaber, former drummer with the Steve Miller Band and Van Morrison, were all involved, too." (http://songsofjonathanwilson.com/, 2011).

Every track on this double album is at least more than three and a half minutes long, with most over six minutes, insuring the listener gets more than their money's worth. It is my second favorite album of the year. I hope it's spirit carries over into 2012, making it a better year than the one which we are leaving behind.

The soft, tentative piano that drifts into the beginning of the title track and album opener, Gentle Spirit, sets the stage from the outset that this will be a far different album than anything you've heard this year, or for that matter in recent memory. The track contains some of the album's best lyrics. "Hey don't you know?, (as if he's talking directly to each of us personally), "A circle is a medley, beauty is a melody, wonderful the thought of all, circles are inside of love, love it is a melody, and beauty is a feeling closest to your spirit core". He ties life together with the importance of love so well. And later, "Medley and benediction, love it is an apple core, before the fruit was beautiful, now it is a circle, life and death a cycle, the cycle is a cadence, and though there are no measured bars, the melody's a circle". The acoustic guitar playing is simply from another time. As Wilson says, "The only theme on the album has to do with…the desensitizing that we are exposed to on a daily basis, of all the explosions and car bombs and people in despair" (http://songsofjonathanwilson.com/, 2011. "Everything born from love". Perfect from the start.

After such an awesome start, I think Can We Really Party Today? is out of step. It might have been better placed towards the end of the album. The lyrics don't take you as high as the opener. However, as the track progresses the supporting cast of vocalists and musicians helps to lift the track as it changes to more of an inclusive Laurel Canyon jam session, including piano, bass, and strings.

Desert Raven is another of the best tracks on the album. After some eerie, futuristic synth and keyboards sounds, the track's acoustic and golden sounding electric guitar rides out of the canyon full of steam, with soft drums playing in support. The strings do a wonderful job of creating that sunshine against the canyon walls effect to augment the power and imagery of the track. The lyrics will take you there, "the sun was rising, sinking low, the day was saddled up to go, the desert's lonely nightfall disappears". The kind of song you can just sit back in a field of grass and listen to all day long. "Old Pegasus he gallops overhead". "The starry minds of hyacinth, the moon below the sun's eclipse". "Close to the river's edge white saffron slowly grows inside the caves". "The sandy canyon floats beyond the waves". Yep, you're there aren't yah?

Canyon in the Rain keeps the spirit of that peaceful canyon glowing in your mind as its opening of acoustic guitar strings bring back to mind the opening notes of the Beatles, "Golden Slumbers". Wilson's near whisper only adds to the stillness and quiet filling the air as the acoustic spins on amidst soft drums. This track takes you out to one of those fields in the canyon and allows you to virtually experience the freedom. "You may think the world is cold". "We're young, our hearts are free, you can't see what I see, but you're wild and free with me".

Natural Rhapsody is the best track on the album and one of the best songs I've heard this year. Imagine Jimi Henrix, the Beatles, and Pink Floyd, in their "Meddle" days, all got together and created a song…it might sound something like this. That organ at the beginning of the track and the electric guitar will take you right back to early Pink Floyd. At over 8 minutes there is plenty to enjoy about every note in this song. Wilson's whispered lyrics add to the quiet comfort that surrounds this track. The lyrics, "We hear you're a friend of Thoreau…and if you're still waking to life indigo, no water, no fire, in your bungalow, just whisper good friend to the healers on high they're working". The guitar solo around the 4 minute mark will take you right back to "Electric Ladyland" or "Axis Bold as Love". This is one of those songs that should never end. "The shapes that we drew in are shifting". "And when it's all said and done, and we are all but dust on the horizon, indeed, the natural rhapsody". There is a You Tube video, which is my favorite video of the year, for this track. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8E9kQg9gCU, 2011).

Ballad of the Pines is another wonderful track full of morning sun and beautiful acoustic guitar matched with lyrics that take you away from life's troubles. "Sky water running off the mountain sliding through the light of dusty souls. "This is the ballad of the pine". "Sing it with me if your heart is broken…with joy, when you're sitting with your best friend". Yes, it is a great song that goes with any mood, be it high or low. The acoustic guitar and Wilson's whispering makes it sound like he's there performing a solo show for the listener.

The Way I Feel is a Gordon Lightfoot penned track that is the only cover song on the album. It fits so well with the rest of the lyrics and music on the album that you might think Wilson wrote it himself. The electric guitar soloing and jamming is some of the best on the album.

Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler is another track full of great sound effects of the ocean waves, seagulls and soft acoustic guitar filling in the spaces between Wilson's whispered lyrics and the atmospherics. The organ sounds fill any gaps left open with excellent melody. Children laughing and playing only add more to the imagery of rolling back time to when life was simpler and filled with more time to experience all that is around us.

Woe is Me is the only real "downer" on the album. The slow electric bass, guitar, and drums only add to the feeling of pain. "Float down the river, swim in the deep blue sea". "Now I don't like to fight, but a man has got to eat".

Waters Down may be the best track on the album, after Natural Rhapsody. With so many hits on this album, this one still has the power to stand out on its own. The acoustic guitar work is amazing. The lyrics, well, here you go, "Modern world a nasty mystery, turn it round". "Wipe this war from any recent memory, turn it round". "Hear my people's cry, peace we want to try". With enough power to bring back reminders of the feeling "Here Comes the Sun" brought at the end of the Vietnam War. "Natural world she needs our energy, keep it round. Love it lifts". Yeh, as someone famous once said, "All you need is love".

This album is so vast and full of great songs that it takes more time to get to tracks like Rolling Universe, near the end of the album. The acoustic guitar and that King Crimson – like guitar solo near the two and a half minute mark just make this yet another album stand out.

Magic Everywhere is more beautiful warm acoustic music reminiscent of some of Chris Robinson's best solo work. "Pretty green leaves above us, we can see magic everywhere". "Seven white sage bundles I have wrapped up with string, just to know everything will get better". Let's all hope.

Valley of the Silver Moon closes the album as it began, within epic proportions, during over ten minutes of incredible music. We get some cool percussion, sound effects, Wilson's voice echoing off canyon walls, as Krieger – like chords stream through the breeze. Then power electric chords fill the air as Wilson takes back control over the soundtrack and delivers, "I'm writing you from the Valley of the Silver Moon". "I get on pretty well here". "I just sit around and hum my tunes". The organ perfectly fills the empty spaces and helps add even more feeling to an emotion – filled epic.

Track Listing:

1. Gentle Spirit
2. Can We Really Party Today?
3. Desert Raven
4. Canyon in the Rain
5. Natural Rhapsody
6. Ballad of the Pines
7. The Way I Feel
8. Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler
9. Woe is me
10. Waters Down
11. Rolling Universe
12. Magic Everywhere
13. Valley of the Silver Moon

Added: November 26th 2011
Reviewer: Mark Johnson
Score:
Related Link: Songs of Jonathan Wilson.com
Hits: 2241
Language: english

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