"also, he made the stars..." DLDown Album Review

This post will be a bit of a break from the normal theme of this blog but don't worry too much, I'm still untrendy but have friends who are more trendy (musically) than myself. One of those friends Jo Wilson sings as DLDown and has a new album out and officially launched it here in Edinburgh at a gig last Thursday.

DLDown's style is a bit hard to pin down. Its unique, experimental, familiar, confident and a bunch of other things. Jo plays and layers in multiple instruments as well as vocals to create a sound that is fresh and deeply woven. Annoyingly it is also full of incredibly catchy tunes that will stick with you long after they should (for the sake of your sanity). I keep coming back to them against my will.

The album is called 'also, he made the stars' (AHMTS) and follows on from the bands first album 'Puzzle' released a couple of years ago. The title of the album comes from Genesis 1:16, where God is described as bringing the stars into existence almost as an afterthought and thus underlining how incredible God is.

Jo composes and writes the songs himself and about issues, themes or thoughts that are in his current thinking. Songs in this new album range from ecology to the Resurrection to courting/checking out his (now) wife. I like to discuss God, Jo does too, but Jo is also awesome at doing this through music as well and this oozes out through this album. Questions are asked, answers considered but I think the joy of discovering more about God is what comes through here the most. A few of the songs on AHMTS are new versions of old favourites from the first album but improved takes on these and the rest are all new tracks.

Although this album is primarily a solo production the hat must be well tipped to a small supporting cast providing seamless additional vocals and instrumentation.

For much of the last year DLDown has been silent but its good to see it back again and the break only seems to have improved the material and its presentation. The words on the songs are edgier, more challenging, the presentation of the CD album slicker and Jo, both on track and live on stage, comes over as just that little bit more seasoned and confident.

If you have the time (or even if you don't) download/purchase/buy/sell your kidneys and get a hold of a copy of AHMTS - a perfect trade.

And it has to be said... AHMTS, so good... its criminal.