Sanford: feature on our blog for the first time with their eclectic album exploring dreams and reality.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Megan Rainwater @meganrainwater
A project led by South Carolina, USA-born and Brooklyn-based musician Jay Sanford, Sanford: are appearing on our pages for the first time thanks to his new album Extinguished Dreams.
The album opens with April 3, 1974 and we are instantly drawn in by its atmospheric ambience and emotional instrumental. A slow-building intro gives way to some jangly rock that’s full of urgency. A soaring climax then shows that Sanford: aren’t messing around with their new album.
Thematically the record is about the contrast between dreams and reality and we get equal parts wistful fantasy and hard reality across its twelve tracks. Carolina’s Better combines the surreal with the mundane beautifully. Look Out Loretta is a captivating cautionary tale. Wait and See is a dark story of addiction and unfulfilled love. It’s a highlight.
Musically and lyrically there’s a sense of the classic about it all. There are nods to Hank Williams and King Crimson. Genre-wise we get an eclectic mix of rock, country and funk.
Moving into the album’s second half, the tracks blend together nicely. We get the soulful psychedelia of Sunrise that leads into the soul-searching The Illusion. The track ends big and that epic feel carries through to The Cotton Hill Memorial Barbecue. The Link is a reflective instrumental that sets up ten minute philosophical odyssey Resonance Cascade. Things then end with an ambient reprise of Sunrise.
Sanford:’s new album is an ambitious effort but the level of song writing skill on display more than matches the ambition. Each track gives us something new, and another story in which to get lost. I’ll certainly be keeping a close eye out for future releases from him.
Except for the horns, Extinguished Dreams was entirely written, arranged, performed, and produced by Jay. The album is out now and you can check it out below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator
