Jay Buchanan – Weapons of Beauty
Before Rival Sons formed around 2008, frontman Jay Buchanan had been expressing himself as a singer songwriter and it’s to that vein he returns with his new solo album.
As fellow Now Spinning contributor Pontus Norshammer pointed out, in an age when many performers are
told to or are content to stay in their lane, it’s great to see someone step away from the day job to such powerful and creative effect. Keen Rival Sons listeners will know of Jay Buchanan’s storytelling
abilities (The Heist from Head Down being a personal fave) but here, he’s not just spinning yarns. These are songs of depth and meaning. The way they are performed screams (albeit subtly) of creative people at the top of their game.
The modern Nashville style playing is beautifully understated. It takes real confidence and craft not to showboat and
trample over what are at times, delicate songs. Much has been made of the way Jay retreated to a desert bunker to write these songs. A special mention has to go to Leroy Powell whose pedal steel playing gives the album a real sense of place. It’s redolent of clear desert air and wide open spaces. Close your eyes and you’ll see the stars.
The album opens with two stately ballads. Caroline is the heartbreaking story of a man left bereft under the weight of his grief. High And Lonesome sees an old time prospector missing the woman who couldn’t see what he had to give. The pace picks up with True Black, the gospel tale of a man seeking redemption. Tumbleweeds is the minutely observed story of a couple who might be on the run, hinting at how they got there and just how much they’ve lost. Introduced by gentle electric piano, Shower Of Roses tells of a singer on the way down but might just be warning us of the dangers of not being ourselves. In modern terms, not living an authentic life, no matter how great the rewards of that are. Deep Swimming is a real slice of life, again so well observed. “They all grow up too soon” he sings. That we do, that we do. Sway is that rarity, a truly romantic love song that isn’t fanciful. Remember the old ale ad tagline, “Strong words, softly spoken”? That sums up the plea for togetherness in a fractured world in Great Divide. Jay puts his own stamp on Dance Me To The End Of Love. It’s very different to Leonard Cohen’s original and Madeline Peyroux’s popular French jazz cafe version.
This is very much his album in the writing and in performance. Jay’s vocals throughout are amazing, not just technically but in terms of the emotion expressed. He’s got the bare chested rock god thing down pat but here he’s even less afraid to show a vulnerable side. The touch of vibrato on Caroline is heartbreaking without being theatrical, the opening vocal bars of Sway are jaw dropping. Things reach an emotional and literal climax with the title track, Weapons of Beauty. It’s a love song to music and to songs. It’s rare to hear a performer put what feels like the core of himself right out there for all to see. It’s fitting that song and the album ends on an oh so human touch.
Great as it is on CD, I found I want the more tactile, immersive experience of an LP on vinyl too. I want a better hifi to play it on because I want to catch every nuance of every note played, every indrawn breath that precedes a note that’s sung.
ORDER Jay Buchanan : Weapons of Beauty on CD
ORDER Jay Buchanan : Weapons of Beauty on Vinyl
Mike Bruce | Now Spinning Magazine
