Next Friday, March 10th, Jonathan Wilson will be playing at the Sinclair with Laraaji. Wilson’s newest album, “Rare Birds” will be dropping the Friday before, on March 2nd, and I recommend giving it a listen when it does. Featuring artists, like Father John Misty, Lana Del Rey, Lucius, Laraaji, and more, “Rare Birds” really showcases all of the connections Wilson has been busy making over the last few years, producing albums such as Father John Misty’s Grammy nominated “Pure Comedy,” as well as Karen Elson’s “Double Roses.”
While Wilson has such a clear and intense technical ability, I think the real core of his talent lies in his ability to transfer such soul into his projects. “Rare Birds” has all the emotion and power of Rock n’ Roll with a swirl of ambience in the mix – creating a sound that is both reminiscent and impossible to compare. Its classic rock from an alternate universe with drum machines and synthscapes that take you down roads you didn’t know existed. Wilson brings some real variety to his arrangements, like the short but impactful saxophone solo over a seemingly atonal chord progression in Miriam Montague (track 8). The goal of “Rare Birds” seems to be the overall impact of the sound and all of the moving parts within each track. At times, especially in the songs with string sections, there are upwards of 120 tracks. I am excited to see how this carefully thought out production will translate in a live performance. So, if you have $20 to spare, and are curious to hear this album live, I will see you at the Sinclair on Saturday, March 10th!
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