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Album reviews Music

Damien Jurado

Rating: NNNN


On Damien Jurado’s 11th album, a sequel to 2012’s Maraqopa, the prolific singer/songwriter pulls from the diverse bag of tricks he’s deployed since his late-90s debut.

Sure, stripped-down, acoustic versions of the songs could’ve worked, but with help from producer Richard Swift, they’re fleshed out into psychedelic dreams dappled with field recordings, Latin guitar and Jurado’s serene vocals, raising existential questions that don’t quite get answered.

Even tunes that start out with straightforward strumming and tapping (Silver Timothy) end up dizzy with electronic effects. Some songs downright surprise, like Suns In Our Mind, near-triumphant in its harmonies and peppy drums.

Jurado’s narratives are filled with characters – Silver Donna, Silver Malcolm, Silver Katherine (also the names of songs) – and yet Eternal Son is a solitary journey. “Do not disturb me / let me be,” he says on the delicately plucked Silver Joy, the most achingly pretty of the bunch.

Top track: Jericho Road

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