Jurado, Damien - On My Way to Absence

Murder in a small town

Damien Jurado is an accomplished artist who paints with broad, intimate strokes. Yet when the witness steps back, the realization sets in that Jurado is delicately painting a murder in the act. What is unsettling about this is that we, as witnesses, cannot peel our eyes away from the scene - Jurado is just too good at depicting misery. And yet to call it misery would be an insult to this artist’s eerily enchanting style. On My Way to Absence, although more subdued lyrically than his last full-length Where Shall You Take Me?, continues Damien Jurado’s storyline of heartache, bloodshed, and revenge.

Loneliness and lawlessness

The album opens with familiarity - a story of murder told over brooding percussion and mild guitar which cultivates Jurado-esque melody. Yet the presence of strings and trumpets are a unique addition to Jurado’s musical parameters. This ingenuity sets a precedent for the rest of the album, which a few songs cannot quite meet. In an age where orchestral strings are a focal point in artists’ songs, Jurado maintains his subtlety in his use of strings, which provides a gentle undercurrent to most songs on the album. He also makes the most use of a full band since his flirtation with rock-and-roll called I Break Chairs.

Avenge, cradling self-pity

As the album moves on, Jurado preserves his older sound, with Rosie Thomas present in “Lottery,” and the circular drone of “Big Decision” is reminiscent of songs from I Break Chairs. The vaguely dark lyrics and upbeat melody of “Lion Tamer” are about what we could expect from Jurado. “Fuel” reverts to simplicity, with his lyrics presumably uncomfortable (“…So mother, burn my body for fuel”). Rolling percussion and tiptoeing piano is a backdrop for the angst-filled lyrics of “Sucker.” I am reminded of the love triangles in Rehearsals for Departure as I listen to “Simple Hello.”

Broken relationship

The last four songs outshine the first half of the album. His remake of “Night Out for the Downer” brings girth to an already beautiful song, complete with piano, strings, and female vocals from Rose Johnson. The song builds up to Jurado’s “mm-hmms” and “ee-heees” (which are even better live). “Icicle” is the climax to this album, as Jurado’s almost haphazardly forceful voice forges through dripping melody and percussion that climbs uphill, dodging in and out of shadows. The song that follows is a perfect conclusion, and is his most intimate song on the album. “A Jealous Heart is a Heavy Heart” is a beautiful epilogue (did he just say “drownding?”) that perpetuates Jurado’s love affair with death. It ends with a vague plea (yes, he definitely said “drownding”), which is fitting for this album.

The seduction of death

Damien Jurado’s previous release, Just in Time For Something, made the hearts of his purist fans skip a beat. Now back in full production, Jurado has undeniably continued his pursuit of expansion. Sure, moments of self-reflection are evident in this album, but overall he is continuing to forge his own trail. His overall sub-par lyrics are etched in the booklet, unlike any other album of his. The album art sustains the drowsy lyrics, with soft hues painted intentionally over fading memories. Like the blunders of rearranged songs in the track listing or typos in his lyrics, one wonders if Jurado’s carelessness on this album was intentional. Regardless, Jurado has produced a beautiful album that contains only minor smudges.

Damien Jurado, On My Way to Absence: B+

Sam Albertson likes pretty things.

Posted on March 10, 2005 1:18 PM