KiwisRetrospective – “Almost Natural”

Acoustic, Easy Listening, Folk, Singer Songwriter, Uncategorized

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.

Wanderer – Molly Devine

Ambient, Easy Listening

After years of working collaboratively with New Zealand songwriters and musicians, the isolation of 2020 has inspired something completely different from Molly Devine. It’s been a year of polar opposites for the artist. One moment she was touring the country with her new single Call Me Up, the next she was home alone crowded by her thoughts along with the rest of Aotearoa. Fortunately for Molly she runs a music school out of her home, so she spent her hibernation in a mini recording studio.

Wanderer is about the “magnetism (Molly) feels towards simplicity and easefulness”. The track is a first for Molly, as she wrote and produced it solo. Wanderer comes with a beautiful music video that paints pictures to compliment the soundscape.

Wanderer begins with a sparkling right hand piano line, and twinkling city lights to match. The introduction is based around a montage of busy modern living; a time-lapse of traffic, flight times at the airport, a crowd at a zebra crossing. As Molly’s soothing voice describes a “familiar silhouette leaning against the door frame”, the imagery settles into a warm indoor scene. There’s poetry in Molly’s lyricism. She “loves you like the ocean loves the moon”, drawing imagery from nature to parallel human emotions.

I particularly enjoyed the appearance of classical guitar; an intricate line written by Jayendra Birchall. The dynamic blend of Molly Devine’s songwriting and Birchall’s mystical performance results in an ethereal piece of writing; reminiscent of some of Sufjan Steven’s work. Wanderer is a beautiful piece of writing. I look forward to keeping up with Molly’s journey on Facebook and Instagram.

Photo: Nik Brinkman

Reminiscing – Sophie Gibson

Easy Listening, INDIE, Singer Songwriter

Reminiscing is warm and nostalgic, within the opening seconds you’re picturing a home movie of your child mishaps. But Sophie is looking back on a slightly different tale.

This song looks back on a time where Sophie chased a partner to Chile to live as a stay at home partner to walk the dog and do groceries. The complication was that she didn’t speak Spanish. The song is not a predictable dramatic tale of an ex-lover, rather it takes a grounded look at regular issues that arise even in this distinct situation. Sophie reflects with a mature view, considering what there is to learn from the experience.

The track is a smooth jam with great use of empty space. Melodies shift effortlessly between the bass and keys giving varying texture. The easy listening sound is captured beautifully, a performance of this track would sit perfectly in a cafe or Sofar Sounds. Reminiscing’s tone has fondness and a touch of humour, it seems Sophie’s coming from a place where things are now fine, and we’re viewing this through the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia.

Originally from Scotland, Sophie Gibson is a singer/songwriter who is now based in Auckland, New Zealand. Singing songs of “heart break, heart mending and downright just complaining”. We’re glad she shared this interesting gem with us! Make sure to follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.