When an artist can play the guitar in such a way that classical music is mixed with indie undertones, a beautiful and lyrical result is produced. Jose Gonzalez's new album, Veneer, is an example of that perfect combination.
Gonzalez was born in Gothenburg, Scandinavia, in 1978. His father, a singer, introduced him to musical notes and pop-rock bands like The Beatles. It was from a book of chords of Beatles music that Gonzalez learned how to flesh out his early discovered love of music, providing a base on which his music career would be founded.
"I spent the entire summer picking out songs. That's how I got the basics," said Gonzalez on his website.
He joined and played in several different bands over the course of his career, including a punk rock band. He soon fell out of the punk scene, however, and discovered his more classical side, using the guitar as his instrument of choice. After taking up flamenco classes, he was able to discover his own sound by combining the rock influences, punk, flamenco and orchestral sound of the guitar.
Gonzalez released his first single, "Crosses," in 2003 and now, two years later, his hard work has come together to create his new album, Veneer. It's a stunning sound of fast past guitar and his serene, finely tuned voice. What makes this album so unique is that those two instruments are all the musician needs to convey the power and the passion that he has for music, even though his songs are slow and melancholy.
"Crosses" features the melodious echoing of his voice with the gentle but poetic strumming on the guitar. This is layered with his intricate plucking and fast paced rhythm. His voice is high-pitched for his bass voice as he sings "Catch song light and it'll be all right/ for now/ Cross all over the boulevard/ Cross all over/ heavy on your shoulder." As he sings, the guitar recedes into the background to give full weight to his words and his commanding voice. While the song is only two and a half minutes, it is filled with a downhearted weight that resonates past the finale of the song. The song has no set climax, but the entirety of the song is one big pinnacle that leaves listeners in awe.
The track "Heartbeats" shows Gonzalez's true talent on the guitar. With nimble fingers he gently plucks a fast paced but at the same time tranquil rhythm. He sings, "We had a promise made/ We were in love/ Took all from hands up above/ to lean on." Since the sound of the guitar is so fast, it feels as though there are more instruments than the solo acoustic guitar. His voice reverberates as though there are background singers, but it's more just the dominance of his words and his voice that makes the song seem so much more intricate.
Another track "Broken Arrows," displays a constant plucking on the guitar and is just as impressive. In this song there are several layers of the acoustic guitar played out, supplemented by a few high-pitched notes combined with Gonzalez's solid bass notes. It is the shortest track on the album, clocking in at under two minutes, but time is forgotten with the singer's melancholy lyrics, "The sun went down/ and with it the love we found/ that's the way things are sometimes/ most of the time." It's a sad reverie about love found and love lost. The song's final notes feature a melancholy trumpet juxtaposed against traditional guitar. No words are needed as these instruments alone convey the tremendous sadness and beauty of the song. This track ends the album, showing that Gonzalez bears a weight that he will continue to carry.
The album is sad, but brilliantly mastered. While his words and his playing show just how much life can weigh down on a person, it is done in a way that is classical and potent. It makes listening to such depressing words not only a learning experience, but also one that enlightens listeners in a magnificent way.
Grade: AB
