Joshua / Same Day Walking

Mason Lindahl

Back in July, Mason Lindahl quietly released his follow-up to 2021's Kissing Rosy In the Rain; a record that broke a twelve year silence and reintroduced himself as a more classical-leaning instrumental guitarist. Lindahl continues to explore that lane on two new suites titled Joshua and Same Day Walking. Both suites see Lindahl incorporating more atmospheric elements into his compositions, whether that be with droning reverbs, weighty auxiliary instrumentation, or subtly fried ambient synths. The compositions are also a bit of a departure, comprising of meditatively repetitive, patient phrases, as well as more abstract, winding structures. These qualities result in Lindahl's longest project yet. While his musical scope is expanding, Lindahl's presentation remains to be very raw and intimate as you can still hear the creak of floorboards (no doubt a product of the physical expressiveness in his performance), the occasional flubbed note, and other minor imperfections.

I would describe Joshua's atmosphere as generally warmer and more enveloping. Everything feels contained within a space that feels large, yet not infinite. It makes the piano-like bass hits that immediately open Joshua Underwater feel incredibly dramatic, or the speedy and aggressive finger picking that comes later overwhelmingly intense. It also makes it impossible to escape the hypnotizing allure of Vignette No.1, a track that really showcases Lindahl's finger picking excellence. By comparison, Same Day Walking's atmosphere feels a little more boundless, originating from the arid climates of a sweltering desert or frozen tundra. The very determined playing on Little Sister, or the aggressive, droning note strikes on Same Day Walking ring out like a beacon in vast emptiness, and highlights the cautious optimism of mysterious tracks like Moon Over.

It's always a joy to listen to Lindahl, and I'm very grateful that I didn't have to wait another twelve years for new music. However, I find myself a little less engaged by this new collection when compared to his previous works. For one, I think the two suites could've explored more diverse emotions. Much of the material occupies this forlorn, contemplative feeling that grows cumbersome by the end of the record. I also think that some tracks run too long. Joshua Underwater and To Each His Own Remark feature six to seven minutes of cycling passages that I do enjoy, but they probably could have had the same impact at a fraction of their length. And while I recognize the attempts to tie these songs together thematically with reoccurring motifs, the execution on Long Prowl renders it a tad redundant. Its motif is briefly introduced, and exits only to return a few seconds later with Long Prowl, Underwater (albeit using different chords). In a nutshell, I believe this exercise in crafting more conceptual pieces pigeonholes him and somewhat downplays his imagination.

Regardless of my minor gripes, Lindahl remains to be one of the most spellbinding and wholly original guitarists around. He's an incredibly dynamic and genuine performer who has flown under the radar for far too long now. If you have yet to hear his music and appreciate one-of-a-kind, technical musicianship, you absolutely owe it to yourself to become familiar.