Chuck Johnson – Sun Glories (2024)    


Review by Paul Simpson:
Following several soundtracks and longform drone compositions, Sun Glories is Chuck Johnson's first proper album since 2021's The Cinder Grove, which continued the pedal steel guitar explorations of his earlier album Balsams, as well as his work with Marielle V Jakobsons as Saariselka. Like some of Johnson's previous releases, Sun Glories features a mixture of guitars, synthesizers, organ, and harmonium played by Johnson, and other instruments provided by guest musicians. The warm glow and sighing steel guitar of "Telos" introduce the album as another extension of Johnson's ambient Americana recordings, but the shoegazey guitar static and Ryan Jewell's patiently rumbling drums switch the narrative entirely. Johnson credits Rachika Nayar for renewing his interest in the possibilities of the electric guitar, inspiring him to pick up the instrument again after abandoning it for several years. The integration of his electric and pedal steel techniques, along with synths and other instruments, certainly feels like a fresh perspective for his work. "Sylvanshine" is especially inspired by Nayar, and it blends gentle, almost droplike guitar notes with Cole Pulice's electronically enhanced tenor saxophone, which plumes skyward and briefly gets entangled in a rush of energy. "Hovering" ends up with heavier guitar distortion, which feels like waves crashing against rocks. "Ground Wave" is more focused on pedal steel, along with string arrangements played by Clarice Jensen and Emily Packard, which sweep the piece away and elevate it into a state of cosmic pathos. Final track "Broken Spectre" starts out cloudy, then develops rippling drums and electronics before erupting into a scorching guitar solo. Sun Glories is a magnificent record displaying Johnson's mastery of multiple instruments and techniques. — AMG


   


Track List:
01. Teleos
02. Superior Mirage
03. Hovering
04. Sylvanshine
05. Ground Wave
06. Broken Spectre


Media Report:
Genre: ambient, post-rock
Origin: Oakland, California, USA  
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits
Compression mode: Lossless
Writing library: libFLAC 1.2.1 (UTC 2007-09-17)


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