Wait Til I Get Over

コンテンポラリーR&B/ソウル・グループ、ドラン・ジョーンズ&ジ・インディケーションズのフロントマン、ドラン・ジョーンズのデビュー・ソロ・アルバムが完成。故郷への思いと自らの人生を回顧した繊細で個人的な作品『ウェイト・ティル・アイ・ゲット・オーヴァー』、リリース。

Durand Jonesの『Wait Til I Get Over』は、回顧録であり、ラヴレターだ。それは、Jonesの人生の物語、彼の成長と告白、故郷への見識で、その見識は、一度故郷を離れたからこそ得られたものだ。原始的な美しさとぼろぼろの道、この街を離れたいという10代の頃の気持ちと、自分のルーツに敬意を表したいという大人になってからの気持ち、プランテーションの歴史、賠償の街に住む黒人コミュニティの浮き沈み等、作品の中で彼はヒラリービルの矛盾を書き綴っている。「自分の一部は故郷に残される。もし僕が、若い頃の自分が誇りに思うようなものを作っているとしたら、ヒラリービルはその大きな部分を占めている」とJonesは語る。ヒラリービルでの思い出と、それ以来歩んできた人生の中に、彼は、何か変容を見いだし、最終的に自分のすべてを主張。それを受け入れることになる。その結果、Jonesのチャーチ・ライフ(教会生活)との関係、母親との関係、クィアネスとの関係、自分の価値との関係などに触れることにより、作品は繊細で、個人的なものとなった。

As far back as a decade, predating his recorded debut with the Indications, Durand Jones was gathering ideas developed in full for this, his first solo LP. The experiences that informed Wait Til I Get Over cover a greater length of time, reflecting upon Jones upbringing and development, his grandmothers guidance, the sounds and words he soaked up in church, the complexities of his religious faith, romantic flings and elusive companionship alike -- ultimately the process of figuring out "this thing called life." A poetic spoken interlude illustrates the setting in a small rural community established by former slaves, Hillaryville, Louisiana, an environment that both nurtured and prevented Jones from being his whole self. What surrounds that track shatters any lingering perception of the singer as a mere everyman stylist. Although Jones can still fill that role as effectively as any of his peers -- as he does here on a galvanized update of Donny Hathaways "Someday Well All Be Free" -- the personalized conviction with which he writes and sings throughout this album is riveting. The most revelatory song is "That Feeling." Intoxicated and aflutter, Jones leads with "Boy, you see right through these bloodshot eyes and this grin on my face," and what starts as a tender love ballad builds into a cathartic belter with waves of charging guitar and strings. The more traditionally rendered "Sadie," an upbeat twist on "Dark End of the Street"-like storytelling, recounts with some embellishment an affair Jones had with a married woman. "Gerri Marie," another song of heartache, finds Jones at the piano, joined by only a string quartet, regretting separation by geography. Produced by Jones with Ben Lumsdaine and Drake Ritter, the album is a composite of live takes and intensive sonic processing and goes in a number of creative directions. In "I Want You," a staggering gait and Jones slightly winded performance create almost as much as the lyrics a sense of inexhaustible dedication -- a steep march upstairs. "Wait Til I Get Over" is a stomping, dreamlike hymn with a multi-tracked Jones performing as a one-person gospel choir. Jones and a full band lineup (including Indications guitarist Kyle Houpt) kick up a squall on "Lord Have Mercy," more raucous than anything the singer has cut before. The quietest moment is reserved for the end with "Secrets," where words of assurance and support ("Dont let them take your humanity") fade out to the sound of a moving body of water, presumably the Mississippi River. Seemingly posed as a promise and a threat, Wait Til I Get Over is a striking and poignant deviation. ~ Andy Kellman

ここ数年でドラン・ジョーンズ&ジ・インディケーションズが俄かに評価を高めるなか、フロントマンのドランが意外にもソロ名義でのアルバムをリリースだ。故郷への眼差しや自身のアティテュードなどを綴ったパーソナルな回顧録となっているようで、いつも以上に丁寧な歌い口が印象的だ。ラップが切り込んでくるダニー・ハサウェイ"Someday We'll All Be Free"のカヴァーも。
bounce (C)狛犬