Almost natural is a hidden gem from 2021. I stumbled upon this album by accident, by being familiar with Jonathan Meyer from the multitude of bands he plays in (Underscore, the late Odds & Ends, Club Ruby, Max Earnshaw, and more, so many more). Jono is usually shredding an electric guitar or keeping the band in line with funky grooves from the bass, but with his solo project he takes a more gentle approach.

The journey begins with eerie guitar and soft saxophone with the intro track Warm. Soft BVs with crunchy harmonies ease us into what is a much more vulnerable and intimate piece of work than what Jono usually is involved in. The album touches on the usual subjects of love with “3AM” and “Foreign”. 3AM  features a 10/10 guitar pop pre chorus and some seriously tasteful guitar licks and a big echo chamber solo. Foreign takes a different approach with a very Jack-Johnson-like funky guitar groove. The lyrics are a clever spin on the trope of describing a girl as an angel fallen from heaven (i think) but much less cheesy.

Throughout these songs and much else of Jono’s work we get a strong influence from the 2000s alt rock era. Open stringed chords and octave riffs make this apparent. And this influence comes strongest with the acoustic ballad “Smile”. Smile could’ve been the acoustic hit single on any emo album from 2000. Though I’m not sure of the influence of this track the lyrics are poignant and really hit home the power of a positive outlook.

“Never made it home” is a personal favourite. It tells the tale of a young soldier who snuck onto a boat in the US to join the war effort in Europe in WW2. I’m not sure if this track was inspired by a grandfather figure or just a take on a not so unfamiliar story, but the tale is captivating none the less, and the chorus pops into my head every few months.

A common discussion point I hear from musicians is that the real beauty of art can come from the true authentic moments, the organic little mishaps that can happen and create someone with real human charm. People can strive to create this artificially in the studio, but I don’t think this really comes through unless you have a one take recording that doesn’t try to polish anything. “A song from my dad” combines the charm of getting your father in to help on a project with this kind of magic. It’s a beautiful piece of instrumental piano music that is simple, but effective, and adds a lovely point of distinction to the album as a whole.

“All I needed” is the finisher. The song is built on dreamy synths and lullaby guitars that could sit on an early Bon Iver cut. The lyrics could go either way representing love or a spiritual side of Jono not really delved into yet at this stage in the album. It’s a beautiful finisher either way.

Overall the album is a lovely piece of work. Very unique from the usual projects Jonathan is involved in. It’s a great showcase of his songwriting with interesting lyrical ideas, cliche free harmonic progression and very emotive singing. I’ll be keeping this album in regular rotation.