Judason Void - "Good Things Take Time" LP
JUDASON VOID - “GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME” LP
The crackle of electronics and a nervous looping guitar welcome us into the fragile, powerful world of Judason Void, but hardly point the way to where we’re bound. Before too long Skyler Johnson's ragged voice takes the listener on an almost immediate left turn, and the only thing certain from then on is that it will surprise you again. Johnson proves himself to be a deceptively capable singer through the course of this record, shape-shifting through a variety of characters and perspectives. He’s a wounded animal, an embittered laborer, a drunk college kid, a guy that you want to hang out with and a guy that you definitely don’t want to hang out with.
Judason Void is at their best when at their loudest. Chase Davidson plays drums with a brutality that blasts the guitar riffs completely out of the blues-rock earth realm and land them at the edge of the afterlife. A subtle relaxation in his timing allows the depth of tones to speak fully and freely, and gives a swampy swagger to the very tightly unison bass and guitar work. This sort of precision looseness is a great complement to Johnson’s vocal style on tracks like “The Day I Summoned a Storm” and “Celebration Rest” both of which snap us rudely (satisfyingly) out of the pensive ending moments of their previous tracks, “Palm Sized” and the title track “Good Things Take Time” respectively.
The record lulls a bit in the middle but has an intriguing center in “Sunshine Prayer.” Only a minute long and completely acapella save for some stomping and clapping and jangling of keys, it’s a moment where the recording quality and performance sync beautifully for a very candid minute and seven seconds. The song feels like a pessimistic younger sibling to “Grinnin’ In Your Face” by Son House. The other song that bears a more direct likeness to roots music is the catchy and folky “It Takes All Kinds” with a rolling melody and political lyrics that sound like they’re being sung by someone with a picket sign in their hand. “This is an old sung getting sung out again” begins Johnson, singing and strumming with a weary force like he’s been at it for hours with hours more to go. Not because he wants to, but because he has to. It’s a fragile world that Skyler Johnson inhabits, but don’t forget that the rest of us are there too.
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Review by ::
Fritz Hutchison
Manor Blog Contributor
Manor Records gives 100% of the article author rights to Fritz Hutchison.