By Jim Rowland
Brighton-based multi-instrumentalist John J. Presley returns with a new album ‘Chaos and Calypso’ this month, his first new music since his debut album ‘As The Night Draws In’ in 2019 and the vinyl -only lockdown release ‘Albany Sessions’, which were both released to great acclaim. With ‘Chaos and Calypso’, that acclaim is likely to get considerably greater.
Presley plays guitar, bass and pedal steel on the new record, with occasional help from much respected jazz musician Tom Herbert of The Invisible and additional vocals come from Laura-Mary Carter of Blood Red Shoes.
On tracks like ‘Silhouettes’, ‘Sinnerman’, ‘Delicate Thread’ and ‘Sea of Deserters’, the moody, dark and often morose bluesy nature of the music, coupled with Presley’s deep voiced and pained vocal delivery make it easy to see comparisons with the likes of Nick Cave, Tindersticks and Tom Waits, but interludes of electronic experimentation or aggressive post-rock walls of sound give the album a twisted edge removed from those artists.
‘Gold’ heads an in slightly more electronic direction, whilst ‘Hold The Ties’ and the very bluesy ‘Into The Fire’ are particularly dark, atmospheric and more subtle pieces with a hypnotic quality to them. All the flavours encapsulated in the album, from the dark, twisted blues, to the electronic flourishes to the fuzzed up wall of sound aggression, come together in the epic sounding closing track ‘The Sequel’, ending the album on a definite high.
‘Chaos and Calypso’ is a relatively short and sweet album that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It all adds up to a highly captivating and hugely impressive listening experience.
- ‘Chaos and Calypso’ is released on Friday (20 October).
- John J Presley plays an album launch show at Third Man Records in London tomorrow (Wednesday 18 October) and then the following live shows next year:
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