A suitably dark vibe for an equally dark title, tribal beats and ritual chants lead us into this new one from Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard, an echo of the usual alt-folk-singer-songwriter now sound shot through with a brooding, gothic sonic sentiment, it is low-key and lush, exotic and enticing. It’s a bit of a shift from what earlier releases might have suggested, but that’s the art of it: don’t get too stuck in your ways; give them what they might not expect; keep them guessing.
A picked guitar runs over these mysterious beats, chiming notes in a shaded, creative sea; it’s a song for anyone battling inner demons, a message borne from a difficult time in Turner’s own life, but here spun into a musical exorcism, a soundtrack to help overcome those fears. A song born of personal experience sent out into the world as a relatable tool and a useful reminder to others that they are not alone, that we have all battled through our own dark days.
So, if “Travelin’ Heart” and “A New Moon” suggested that Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard might slot effortlessly into the broad but familiar Americana/indie-folk template, “The Shadow Remains” reminds us not to second-guess artists, especially artists who, by only their third release, have thrown listener expectation to the wind and turned their own sonic world on its head.
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