Beauty in the Bereft

I received a copy of Jud Block’s new CD, Souvenir Reflection, a few months ago, and it has taken me that time to fully digest the emotional and philosophical scope of the terrain that he covers in 9 tracks.

I’ve seen the names Tom Waits and Charles Bukowski thrown around when discussing this CD, which always makes me suspicious, but if you’ve ever heard this wordsmith’s previous offerings, you know you come for the lyrics, and this just might be his strongest batch to date, which speaks volumes.

Souvenir Reflection is, as expected, a morbid affair. Addressing loss, the permanence of absence, grief, death, and suicide all sometimes within the confines of one song.  But there are elements of black humor that arise unexpectedly, such as in the song “Death Rides a Pale Forklift,” which tells the tale of an aging Black Metaller as he comes to grips with what his life has become — working in a warehouse.

“Still, he’ll never allow his corpse paint to run/Or his pagan fueled fire to fade/Forklift he drives is just another space/Become his own personal Helvete”

Then you have a disturbing tune like “Empty Chamber Grace,” which offers an almost impressionistic portrait of an Old West gunslinger spiraling into madness via the throes of a developing conscience.  And not able to come to terms with his bloody past, chooses to silence himself the same way he had so many others – with a bullet.

Another standout for me was “The Space Inbetween.”  Having talked with the writer, I know the heartwrenching history of the song – it’s about singer/songwriter Jay Johnson, an underappreciated genius.  The song is simple in structure, but poetically complex, and has the ability to bring you to tears, especially if you’ve ever lost someone to suicide. These lines are particularly haunting:

” So, he left his wisdom scattered/While preparing for the fall/At venues, in songs and conversations/Making suicide notes of us all”

I could write a dissertation on this CD, but I’ll spare you that grief; instead, let me sum it up in this way, if you’re a fan of dark, poetic songwriting in the vein of Eric Taylor, Townes, Brent Best, or Jason Molina, you do not want to overlook this CD.  Jud likes to refer to himself as a “sub-underground” artist, but it’s high time his songs are brought to the light of day or, at least, a less dark corner of the bar.

Procure your copy at CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon, and other digital outlets.