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Although not as overused in the way that water, rivers, etc. have been done to death, the imagery of a stark and unforgiving desert is a well-liked way for popular culture to represent discovering oneself, and ultimately, offer some sort of redemption. Who remembers Tony Soprano shouting, “I get it!” as he watches the sun rise over the Red Rock Canyon, after taking Peyote? Or Homer Simpson hallucinating after eating some insanity peppers, resulting in an out-of-body experience in which he meets the Space Coyote (voiced by Johnny Cash) in the desert? Or, more recently, John Wick trudging through the desert to find redemption in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum?
The desolation associated with a desert has strong significance in the arts, and it’s this desolation that acclaimed singer, songwriter, and musician Jay Buchanan, frontman of the Grammy-nominated rock group Rival Sons, turned to for inspiration for his debut solo album, Weapons of Beauty, with the album written during an extended period of isolation in the Mojave Desert
Anyone expecting an album of songs left on the Rival Sons studio floor might be surprised by the lack of full-on, Marshall-stacked ooomph to be found on ‘Weapons of Beauty’, but ooomph comes in many guises, and there is plenty of it to be found within. The only comparison to Buchanan’s day job would be that if the listener can imagine a starker and more stripped-back version of the Sons classic ‘Jordan’ from 2012’s ‘Heads Down’ album, and the masterful ‘Juke Joint Session’ from a few years later, then they would be on the right path.
So much to admire on ‘Weapons of Beauty’. The vibe for one. It’s so laidback that it is practically horizontal. The gorgeous weeping tones from Leroy Powell’s pedal steel guitar bring a melancholic feel, but not too melancholic that it becomes mournful. World-weary is perhaps a better description. Especially on the utterly breathtaking ‘High and Lonesome’, which is played at a waltz-like pace with the best vocal performance that Buchanan has put down on tape (until the jaw-dropping ‘Sway’ lands a few songs later, that is…slip this one on, and let Buchanan’s rich vocals wash over you)
The flipside of the starkness of the opening tracks ‘Caroline’ and the aforementioned ‘High and Lonesome’ is the Gospel-tinged joy of ‘True Black’, which would not look out of place blaring out of the juke joint in the future Oscar-winning movie ‘Sinners’. Especially given the duality of the opening lines, “As I walk side by side/With the wicked and the righteous/I wonder to which one of them/I truly belong.” The preacher-like performance from Buchanan is stunning, and after the first listen, try to resist the “Shoo-rah, shoo-rah shoo-rah” refrain. Nope. The great J.D. Simo excels throughout on the 12-string acoustic, with the piano strikes from Phillip Towns sparking comparisons with the exceptional Richard Manuel from The Band.
‘Tumbleweeds’ builds from its gentle intro into a hugely cinematic slice of Americana with soaring vocals from Buchanan, while the spectacular ode to a musician’s life on the stage, ‘Shower of Roses’, brings that oomph talked about earlier. 1970’s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter vibe, but with an underlying suggestion of something not being quite right with the protagonist. The flow of the album is crucial, and Buchanan nails it. Once the closing strains of ‘Shower of Roses’ leave the listener on the floor, the hopeful, joyous percussive ‘Deep Swimming’ picks them back up again. Some comparisons with The Killers have been mentioned on this one, but in all honesty, it makes more sense to look towards America’s East Coast for the sake of comparison, and in particular, Simon & Garfunkel. Chris Powell’s hypnotic drums are particularly effective on this one.
One cover version, and Buchanan’s take on Leonard Cohen’s ‘Dance Me To the End of Love’ is unrecognisable from the accordion-filled sway of the original. More upbeat, and a homage to Van Morrison, makes it a fitting tribute to Cohen and Van The Man, two of Buchanan’s personal favourite performers. To these ears, it’s also a tribute to The Band.
Faultless, from start-to-finish, ‘Weapons of Beauty’ is Buchanan’s finest hour in a career of many.
Available now, more information HERE.
To support the album’s release, Buchanan has recently announced that he will embark on a short run of special shows:
Nashville, Basement East, Tuesday February 17
New York, Silver Linings Lounge, Friday February 20
London, The Lower Third, Monday February 23
Paris, Les Étoiles, Wednesday February 25
Tickets are available at weaponsofbeauty.com
Review – Dave
Album artwork – Jeremy Lipking
Desert photo credits – Matt Wignall
Portrait photo credit – The Cult of Rifo
Instagram / TikTok: @jaythebirdthatsings
X: @jaythebirdsings
Facebook: facebook.com/jaybuchananrivalsons
Website: weaponsofbeauty.com
