I find that most of the artists I feature for the first time end up being repeat offenders. Well, that's how it seems lately. Joshua James came around a while back with "Queen of the City," and since then I've gotten my hands on his Build Me This. Talk about a diamond mine! It's very different from what I've heard of him before. The album is a little folky, definitely not as gritty as "Queen of the City," but has that power I love to find in music.
"Annabelle" could fit in with a Great Big Sea selection (nothing wrong with that), with acoustic-guitar-violin-goodness. This is what makes me want to travel out east and live near a harbor, where the air always smells like salt. But this song isn't about the sea. "Annabelle" follows the trials and tribulations of love with the titular woman. Are you well, are you well, Annabelle? Maybe she's gone, maybe she's dead, but love is still there. Perfect for Valentine's Day, am I right?
"Coal War" is something else, you see. It's a little more subdued, or at least, starts out that way. Here we have a beautifully crafted neo-folk-gospel ditty that almost makes me want to start something going at my parents' church (though I doubt I could get everyone clapping and singing to the beat of "Coal War," too fancy for the Mennonites). On that note, you could really make an argument for Joshua James being a Christian artist here, but I wouldn't touch that argument with a ten foot pole. I enjoy the rising power of "Coal War," and that's the only thing that'll be rising today.
What's the point? Download Build Me This off of Noisetrade, and enjoy your day with the people you care about. That's what I'll be doing.
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