Nov 10, 20211 min read

TJ North strips sound down to the essentials on the soul breeze of “Methuselah”.

TJ North – Methuselah

TJ North strips sound down to the essentials on the soul breeze of “Methuselah”. Recalling a whole other time there is something quite beautiful about their adherence to a classic bluesy folk. When John Fahey talked of American Primitive as a genre, this is the sort of stuff he was talking about. Guitars here have a beauty about them, strummed with the right degree of passion to them. Vocals here appear to have so much fire behind them for it all comes together with the right degree of grandeur about them. Melodies have a seemingly timeless tact about them full of this sense of kindness. Even other features of the sound, such as the drums, have a delicacy to them, seeming to work on an emotional rather than regular timekeeping quality.

Guitar introduces the piece with such majesty. There is a heartfelt presence to it, for the guitar serves as the second singer in many ways. A geography of sorts enters into the fray making sure the sense of place works wonders, allowing the experience to become truly psychedelic in nature. By keeping true to the initial theme, they make it all feel quietly celebratory. Ebb and flow of the work add the distinct wonder of the piece, for there is a bliss to be found within the many different layers, one that has a playful disposition to all of it, rolling on to a perfect conclusion.

“Methuselah” shows off the incredible vocals of TJ North and uncanny ability to tap into an otherworldly spirit.