Berwanger - Watching a Garden Die
Josh Berwanger continues to evolve as a songwriter
At the height of Vagrant Records' early success in the late 90s, the label was buoyed by the incredible draw of their two biggest names- The Get Up Kids and Saves the Day. And while those two bands took a chunk of the notoriety, there were plenty of great bands that called the label home. One of those bands was The Anniversary. The Lawrence, Kansas band shared musical similarities with both TGUK and Saves the Day, but were unafraid to branch off into slightly more synthesised terrain that gave their songs an added element. Coupled with their super easy to digest harmonies and fantastic male/female vocals, songs like "The D in Detroit" still has a place in countless "favorite playlists" all these years later.
Since their initial break-up, guitarist and vocalist Josh Berwanger has been busy writing and recording a bevy of music under the moniker Berwanger. His recent discography is a talented kaleidoscope of songs that traverse genres from folk and indie, to more rock and straight forward singer/songwriter fare. There was plenty to like on his 2016 album Exorcism Rock, an album that delved into a little bit of psychedelia and fuzzed out indie rock. His 2017 album And the Star Invaders saw a gradual move away from the more electrified to the imaginative kind of singer/songwriter we've seen from the likes of Devendra Banhart. True to form, Berwanger continues to evolve as a songwriter, and his latest, Watching A Garden Die, is the next chapter in his thriving songwriter cabinet.
The gloomily titled record is mostly upbeat and diverse. While he may have shown a kinship to indie/folk songwriting of the Banharts and Obersts of the world previously, Watching a Garden Die features the kind of seasoned and more classic toned work you'd find on a Crosby, Stills & Nash record, or even a Paul Simon record. Songs like the softly, almost whispered "Even the Darkness Doesn't Know", and quietly moody, introspective "Paper Blues" (until that electric guitar solo hits) harks back to a time long ago of unfettered hair and soulful folk music. The album's best moment is probably a combination of the wistful, pedal-steel toned Americana of "When I Was Young" and the equally effective, spacey indie rock of "The Business of Living". The latter giving Grandaddy a run for their money in that music department. These two songs in particular showcase an artist fully aware and capable of his abilities to craft music that's personal but exhibits the kind of draw you want from a record this close to the heart.
The album doesn't have the more ruckus moments Berwanger exhibited in his earlier work (outside of perhaps, the more upbeat power-pop, new wavy "Bad Vibrations"). At times the album takes just a few listens to grab you. But when you listen to songs like the spritely "Friday Night" and the somber reflection of the twangy "I Keep Telling Myself" a few times more, you find the depth of the record. There are elements that reveal themselves on the second, third, fourth listen, and that's rewarding.
Berwanger's songwriting ability was never in doubt, and his new material continues to expand his songwriting reach. Watching a Garden Die, while not a frantic effort, is quiet composure.
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=534648519 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=3822250183]