Joseph Arthur - The Graduation Ceremony
I really love Joseph Arthur's new album, The Graduation Ceremony. I think it's easy for artists (especially artists who've been trucking for a long time without real commercial success) to reach a point where they just stagnate and their music never really changes or evolves. With this in mind, I was pleased and surprised at how much of a departure The Graduation Ceremony feels from much of the music on Joseph Arthur's earlier albums.
He's always had great lyrics (Ashes Everywhere = some of my favourite lyrics ever), but the melodies weren't always there, and his eccentricities made some of his songs hard to like. Now, however, he's dialled back the overuse of falsetto, the strange and pointless pools of sound, which were often to his detriment. (I can't say I miss the overzealous Christian themes, either.)
The new album is catchy, melodic and beautifully contemplative. Joseph's voice has a wonderfully ragged quality that makes sadder songs like 'Someone to Love' feel even more evocative. The album's sunnier moments, like 'Midwest' make Joseph, for perhaps the first time, seem like he should be shelved alongside more well-rounded alt-pop artists like Matt Nathanson and Andrew Bird.
Song recs:
Joseph Arthur - Gypsy Faded
Joseph Arthur - Midwest
He's always had great lyrics (Ashes Everywhere = some of my favourite lyrics ever), but the melodies weren't always there, and his eccentricities made some of his songs hard to like. Now, however, he's dialled back the overuse of falsetto, the strange and pointless pools of sound, which were often to his detriment. (I can't say I miss the overzealous Christian themes, either.)
The new album is catchy, melodic and beautifully contemplative. Joseph's voice has a wonderfully ragged quality that makes sadder songs like 'Someone to Love' feel even more evocative. The album's sunnier moments, like 'Midwest' make Joseph, for perhaps the first time, seem like he should be shelved alongside more well-rounded alt-pop artists like Matt Nathanson and Andrew Bird.
Song recs:
Joseph Arthur - Gypsy Faded
Joseph Arthur - Midwest