{"id":4919,"date":"2019-04-13T05:00:23","date_gmt":"2019-04-13T05:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=4919"},"modified":"2019-04-10T08:56:05","modified_gmt":"2019-04-10T08:56:05","slug":"damien-jurado-in-the-shape-of-a-storm-loose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=4919","title":{"rendered":"Damien Jurado-In the Shape of a Storm (Loose)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Despite last minute prep to travel across China, maybe I\u2019ll catch some new music, maybe not, I opened up my email from RPM and paused to give this a listen before going. I\u2019d never heard Damien Jurado before, never even read any background but what drifted out of the speakers made me scurry around the interweb, to do a little bit of background.<\/p>\n

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Now everything I\u2019m reading tells me that Damien Jurado is a bit of a quick worker, but if the blurb is right\u00a0In the Shape of a Storm<\/em>\u00a0came together with unprecedented speed. I mean recorded over the course of two hours one California afternoon? Guns and Roses it most definitely isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a haunting fragility to the vocals backed with only acoustic guitar, both sparse and atmospheric in equal doses. Reading backwards I\u2019m hearing about a trilogy of concept albums, heavily psychedelic and researching back further I\u2019m hearing links to Sub Pop!!!! In fact there were four LP\u2019s released on Sub Pop Waters Ave s<\/strong>. in 1997 followed by Rehearsals for departure<\/strong> produced by Ken Stringfellow (the Posies\/Big Star\/REM), then onwards to Ghost of David<\/strong> (2000) and I break Chairs<\/strong> (2002). This is another artist I need to take some time out and back track through a huge back catalogue and Sub Pop seems to be the place to start<\/p>\n

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If I had to categorise this I would definitely link towards Folk, but its not quite, it reminds me a little bit of Tom Baxter, the guitar work is a little bit more than something being strummed in accompaniment to whatever protest song is being espoused, the vocals weave around the accompaniment, ebbing and flowing painting a journey within each song.<\/p>\n

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This is often quite dark stuff, thought provoking and with a real edge but washes over you giving you time to drift with the music.<\/p>\n

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Stand out tracks for me opener \u201cLincoln<\/strong>\u201d grabs your attention as does \u201cSouth<\/strong>\u201d possibly my favourite on the LP, closely followed by \u201cSilver Ball<\/strong>\u201d but the reality is this is a really powerful set of tunes and I think the crossover genre potential for this LP are huge.<\/p>\n

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I would love to catch this set in the live setting, in the right venue without the arseholes who turn up to gigs to talk I can imagine hearing the proverbial pin drop.<\/p>\n

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Great stuff.<\/p>\n

Buy ‘In\u00a0The Shape Of A Storm’\u00a0Here<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: Nev Brooks<\/p>\n