No Such Thing As Forever
Self-Released, 2024
8/10
Listen to No Such Thing As Forever
The Alaskan singer-songwriter Josh Fortenbery makes a sizable impression on this debut album, where country, folk, and bluegrass ideas unfold across topics like self-doubt, anxiety and family dynamics.
The flowing acoustic guitar and warm vocals of “Bitter” starts the listen with Lindsay Clark’s inviting fiddle adding to the emotive landscape, and “Siblings” follows with Juslin’s Smith ‘s agile slide guitar amid Fortenbery’s vivid storytelling in the timeless folk climate.
Further along, “Sewing The Same Seam” uses Andrew Heist’s radiant mandolin for a more bluegrass steered delivery, while “Heirlooms” is highly intimate, where Fortenbery’s poetic pipes are met with stirring strings.
Landing near the end, “As One Does” brings intricate guitar playing to the melodic album highlight, and “Another Existential Crisis” exits with James Cheng’s well timed bass complementing the soaring backing vocals from Taylor Vidie and Erin Heist.
All the musicians on hand are from Alaska, too, and they help cultivate a forthright and relatable first album that’s lyrically just as well thought out as it is musically.
Travels well with: Buxton- A Family Light; Natalie Price- Natalie Price