Carson McHone Releases Album “Pentimento” on Merge Records
weave between bright finger-picking and sudden distortion within a single track. The tempo in “Downhill” oscillates between folk reverie and rock urgency, evoking memories of blood and asphalt. In “Idiom,” a slow bass sets the pace for a series of questions before mandolin and electric guitar propel the song forward, accompanied by McHone’s poignant cries questioning the value of words without a voice.
Strings and low drones wash over the album like a tide, enhancing McHone’s clear, steady vocals and integrating natural sounds like the soothing waves in “Wake You Well” into the instrumentation. Her lyrics are layered with vivid imagery, often feeling like paint brushed over an existing scene, referencing themes of touch, skin, seeds, soil, and seasonal cycles. Each song is anchored in the physical world, even as McHone contemplates the nature of art itself.
The second half of the album transitions into a more meditative space, with tracks like “The Canvas” and “Fruits of My Tending” blending rock riffs with whispered intimacy and introspective reflection. McHone’s voice carries the emotional weight of each song, shifting between warm intimacy and haunting distance as the songs unravel tales of love and existence. The closing moments of the album evoke a quiet spirituality, with “Wake You Well” serving as a moonlit prayer accompanied by violins and subtle dissonance, offering solace and hope for lost souls.
“Triumph of the Heart” sees McHone’s voice ebbing and flowing over a gentle guitar strum, describing love as a divine dance of wonder. The spoken-word piece “Create Away” leads into “September Song,” a celebratory ode to the act of song creation, with marching drums and accordion creating a jubilant atmosphere. By the album’s end, it becomes evident that every natural sound, from birdsong to silence, plays a vital role in the symphony of music.
“Pentimento” is a profound exploration of the creative process, showcasing how songs, like artworks, bear the imprints of the natural world in which they were crafted. With its tangible details and poetic reflections on songwriting, the album celebrates the fusion of words, body, landscape, and sound, blurring the lines between the physical realm and the ethereal beauty of music. Listening to this album in its entirety is a cathartic and transformative experience, revealing the interconnectedness of all elements in creating something truly transcendent.