Vestiges & Claws
2015’s *Vestiges & Claws* is Jose Gonzalez’s first self-production and his first to feature all original material. Sessions took place in Gothenburg, Sweden, in his home kitchen and at Svenska Grammofonstudion. Songs are presented in acoustic settings that expand into surprisingly ambitious arrangements with layers of backing and harmony vocals and subtle percussion tracks. The opening songs, “With the Ink of a Ghost” and “Let It Carry You,” indicate how the album will proceed. The gentle stringed accompaniment of “The Forest” and the harmonies and whistling featured on “Open Book” demonstrate the great care that Gonzalez has put into this deceptively subdued album.
By 2007's In Our Nature, José González was mentioned alongside whispery and haunted projects like Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, and Sun Kil Moon. The Swedish singer-songwriter's first solo album since finds him picking up where he left off.
In the eight years since his last release In Our Nature, José González has continually tweaked his spare, quiet acoustic compositions through his band Junip and contributions to various soundtracks and compilations. While his newest, Vestiges & Claws, doesn’t undertake any significant departures in style, additional…
Seven years after his last solo album, Swedish-Argentinian singer/songwriter José González returns with a brooding, existential third offering.
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You'd be forgiven for thinking Swedish singer/songwriter José González has been taking it easy since he released his delicately constructed, critically acclaimed sophomore album In Our Nature in 2007, his most recent record as a solo act.
Review of the new album 'Vestiges & Claws by José González. The LP comes out on February 17 on Mute. The lead single "Leaf Off/The Cave" is now out.
The Swedish singer-songwriter goes back to basics on his beguiling new album, says Neil McCormick