SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOEL PLASKETT – ONE REAL REVEAL

JOEL PLASKETT
ONE REAL REVEAL
SONGS FOR THE GANG

Joel Plaskett is a singer songwriter based in Halifax, NS. Since going solo in 1999 as a member of Thrush Hermit, Plaskett has carved out his own style and, in many ways, developed his own definition of singer songwriter. He has combined folk music with pop and rock and has done it extremely well. Let’s face it, when Sir Paul McCartney chooses you as an opening act—when McCartney seldom even has an opening act—it is testament in itself that Plaskett has made people sit up and take notice.

One Real Reveal is a very stripped, acoustic, sparse affair.  His last album, The Window Inn Sessions included a number of collaborations, but with One Real Reveal, Plaskett goes it alone. Which is perfect for this album. This album could not have been recorded or arranged in any other way.

One Real Reveal is a very tender, reflective album that is not meant to be background music, this is poetry set to music about a person’s life. It may sound dramatic, but this is an album that one should start and finish in one sitting. His narrative in the title track is powerful and very emotional. The listener may have never been to Lunenberg, but one certainly gets the sense of a moment in his youth. Set with the beautiful guitar, it is captivating and pure art.

Plaskett’s lyrics on this album are brilliant. He is able to turn a phrase and express himself in musical and poetic ways. The song, “The New Joys”, which features the lyrics; “​​So we hold our breath/Hit the wall, Half the time we fall/Other times we hang our heads.” says a lot in four short sentences. It is a stirring and remarkable song.

The same can be said for the entire album. He writes beautiful, folk based melodies with very hard-hitting and powerful lyrics. And he does this in a very gentle manner. One Real Reveal shows an artist moving into a new realm of his career and he is doing it with grace and beauty. Plaskett just keeps getting better with each album and this album indicates that he has a lot to write and sing about in the future. But until then, one can simply enjoy One Real Reveal.

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