Noah Gundersen
Carry the Ghost
Reviewed by: Fareeha Naim
Think of what would happen in John Mayer, Peter Gabriel, Matt Nathanson and Neil Young decided to jam together. You’d be expecting smooth voices, relaxing melodies with some rough edges, and a feeling of peace amidst the chaos, am I right? If that sounds as amazing to you as it does to me, you’ll love Noah Gundersen’s new album Carry the Ghost. Inspired by Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night, the main focus is on uncertainty and the post-modern sense of self, wrestling with what’s right versus what’s wrong. Driven by the process of becoming, he draws from his own life, and his realization that people aren’t made a certain way, they become. Battling with yourself is difficult for everyone—Carry the Ghost beautifully captures that internal and external struggle.
And that beauty runs much deeper than just the lyrics. His ability to create memorable melodies that support his words and the mood he’s conveying is nothing short of brilliant. Gentle harmonies, repeated rhythms, and minimal instruments create a simplistic air that achieves greatness. All the songs retain that indie feel, none being overdone or complex. In that, Gundersen develops a series of tranquil tracks that are as heavy thematically as they are serene musically.
This is the type of album where you just want to close your eyes, relax, and feel. His whispery voice is pure, calming, and puts you into that Zen mode, making you want to just lie down and wait for peace to reach you. Carry the Ghost opens with “Slow Dancer,” a piano driven ballad that builds into a beautiful epic about moving on. Following the theme of lost relationships, “Show Me The Light” explores unrequited love and the mid-tempo “Heartbreaker” captures the pain of being alone. But there is also hope; “Jealous Love” looks towards a new, honest relationship. Gundersen’s focus of purpose and self becomes evident in the acoustic “Selfish Art,” a question of sincerity, and “Empty From The Start,” a slow ballad exploring life and living. His words are musing and wistful, making the album open-ended in his interpretation of life. One thing’s for certain, though: if you’re not pondering your existence by the end of “Planted Seeds,” you haven’t listened to the album hard enough.
Rating: Bad-Ass
