“Perfect View”
Libby Johnson
Original Signal
Sounds like: A timid Ingrid Michaelson
As depicted in the cover art and themes of her newest album, Libby Johnson has always been a traveler. Between moving from the countryside to New York and back again, balancing life as a troubadour artist and activist, she finally finished recording “Perfect View” in early 2010. It seems like the four years since her previous album, “Annabella,” were just the right amount to age this gem.
Opening with the album’s title song, Johnson evokes a Sufjan Stevens kind of appeal. The melodies and lyrics seem simple enough, but it’s all about how they grow on you and really make you feel a kind of tenderness of nostalgia. Johnson’s voice is so beautifully understated that it’s really moving, and she keeps the song going by throwing in subtle nuances as it progresses. “Being Your Stranger” and “You’ve Got Your Own Magic” mimic this style — a subdued presentation that scores big on sentimental value. She sheds her somberness and melancholy in songs like “Rare and Beautiful” and “Coming Up For Air” where she stays true to her folk rock roots with a much-needed vigor.
Perhaps it was the four-year gap between this and the release of Johnson’s last album that really makes this one all the more charming. She channels the wistful weariness that came with all of her major life changes into her songs, leaving us with a wonderfully splendid amalgam of indie folk that was well worth the wait.
“Let The Hard Times Roll”
David Ford
Wrong Records
Sounds like: An acerbic Oasis meets an English Sage Francis
David Ford was the lead singer of the British band Easyworld until 2004, when he decided to pursue a solo career. Now a 30-something with three studio albums to his credit, Ford seems to be more self-aware than ever. The songs on his latest album show a neurosis that’s unlike his previous, more somber works like “Songs for the Road.” Incorporating a twang-y kind of old-school folk with a British rock attitude, he proves that a little boldness and versatility can make listening to music a lot of fun.
“Panic” is as solid an opener as there ever can be for a man like Ford. It’s here where he becomes equal parts singer and preacher. A music box plays in the background to belie the fierceness of the song, building to a steady crescendo as thumping percussions, organs and other instruments cue in with each new verse. This serves as a good preview for the rest of the album, as Ford is so unpredictable with what he serves up in each new song. “Surfin’ Guantanamo Bay” and “Nothing at All” are rough-and-tumble segments that show off Ford’s ruggedness, while “Hurricane” and “Stephen” are sweet, Howie Day-esque ballads.
This album takes you on a veritable journey through the life of Ford. If music is a reflection of self, than this album is a memoir. Each song is highly becoming of what he projects as his personality, and it makes an excellent milestone for his storied career.
