Passings
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
A veteran musician and licensed psychotherapist, on this 10th album the multi-instrumentalist David Franklin welcomes Alex Franklin on guitar and Michael Manring on bass for 15 songs that thematically surround endings, deaths and passings that Franklin has dealt with over the past couple of years.
“I’ll Never Hear My Father’s Stories Again” opens the listen with agile and soothing guitar alongside Manring’s strategic bass in the meditative climate, and “The Meeting Tree” follows with a warm melody wrapping around the dreamy climate.
Further into the listen, “Changes” flows with a reflective nature that showcases intricate progressions on guitar, while “When Shadows Were Analog” displays Franklin’s gorgeous piano prowess as much intimacy and playfulness is radiated via the mature keys.
Deeper still, “Back, In A Different Place” blends bass and guitar with a mesmerizing quality that’s even a bit mysterious in its elegant nature, and “A Musical Essay (for music box)” exits the listen with indeed the sounds of a music box that’s quite charming in its simplistic appeal.
Franklin is well versed in rock, folk, pop, avant-garde and New Age song craft, and it’s the latter that’s most prevalent on this well thought out and comforting body of work.
Travels well with: Plinio Fernandes- Saudade; Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason- Muse