The Ghost And The Wall
Nettwerk, 2021
9/10
Listen to The Ghost And The Wall
Since the onset of his music career, Joshua Radin has released an exceptional album just about every 2 years, and The Ghost And The Wall, his 9th record, continues his top notch acoustic based sounds, where his inimitable singing is just as stirring as ever.
“Goodbye” starts the listen with Radin’s mesmerizing guitar and breathy vocals in an intimate and poetic delivery of timeless singer-songwriter prowess, and “Fewer Ghosts” follows with much calm beauty in a dreamy climate that benefits much from subtle piano.
Elsewhere, “Hey You” displays more forceful acoustic strumming amid playful singing, soft backing vocals and nostalgic folk ideas, while “I’ll Be Your Friend” resides in piano balladry that pairs mature keys with Radin’s hushed singing, not to mention the moody strings. “You’re My Home”, one of the quickest tracks, then proves just how versatile Radin can be alongside meticulous bouts of fingerpicking.
Landing near the end, “Till The Morning” puts much emotional density into the powerful and pop friendly track, and “Next To Me” exits the listen with a tremendous amount of beauty packed into the subdued and Americana influenced finish.
It’s been 15 years since Radin released his first album, and since then he’s seen placement in TV and film well over 100 times, sold millions of records and accumulated over a billion streams. Most importantly, however, he’s assembled a large catalog of music that resonates so genuinely and emotionally with his listeners, and this installment just might be his best yet.
Travels well with: Eric Hutchinson- Class Of 98; Mat Kearney- Just Kids