No Finish Line
Self-Released, 2024
9/10
The San Francisco multi-instrumentalist Forest Sun returns with a 13th album, where some excellent musicians join him for his distinct brand of folk.
“America I Love You” starts the listen with warm acoustic guitar and Sun’s smooth pipes populating the timeless folk climate, and “Music Is My Medicine” follows with Sun handling piano alongside Aaron Kierbel’s fluid drumming and Lara Louise’s soothing harmony vocals.
The title track lands in the middle and uses Gawain Mathews’ agile drumming that suits the personal storytelling that builds into a frisky energy, while “Take Along Our Love” recruits banjo from Mathews for an intimate delivery of heartfelt song craft.
Landing close to the end, “Too Much Of Everything” offers a bluegrass inspired moment that’s cozy, and “Autumn In Montreal” exits with Mathews’ meticulous electric guitar and Sun’s rich singing that tosses in hints of nostalgia.
A prolific and imaginative artist, Sun’s mix of folk, bluegrass, country, gospel and soul ends up being some of the most intriguing Americana you’ve heard recently.
Travels well with: Lindsay Lou- Queen Of Time; Tom Freund- The Year I Spent In Space