Born in California and based in Berlin, Ed Prosek is a multi-faceted singer-songwriter who has graced our pages before. His debut album is his rawest release to date.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Charlotte de Bruyn

For his debut album, Redwood Cathedral, Prosek took himself to the Black Forest in Germany, crafting the record in a 300-year-old farmhouse while performing every instrument and self-producing. Each track was recorded live before going through a sequence of rebuilding.

The result is cinematically acoustic as Prosek takes us on a journey through anticipation, uncertainty, tenderness, and transformation.

It’s his lyrics that stand out to me. They’re reflective and philosophical, and contain the kind of universal honesty that compels attention. He dwells on inevitability, patience, and the natural order of things across the record.

The upbeat folk of Reinvent the Wheel tees up early highlight Tall Pines. The latter has a tremendous sense of place. Its story is delivered delicately through plucked strings and vocal harmonies.

Elsewhere, Rosalie is romantic while Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is brims with storytelling, steeped in wistful nostalgia. Tinkling piano sets up an explosive, anthemic chorus which injects energy just when it’s needed. It’s another highlight.

Title track Redwood Cathedral ties together many of the album’s themes. It reflects on loss and memory, and is full of natural imagery and philosophy. The verse feels slowly meditative before a simmering, rousing chorus captivates. There’s a sense of being reborn.

The American Divide is powerfully autobiographical while The Damage is a final highlight thanks to its raw but forgiving lyrics and stirring arrangement.

“I wrote these songs as an expression of myself,” Prosek attests. “I was on the eve of fatherhood, but I had experienced real pain in the years beforehand. Those painful experiences helped me see meaning in what I’m doing. I would be making this music whether or not anybody listened to it, and these specific songs are deeply held thoughts and snapshots of my life in preparation for fatherhood. The intensity of the moment is embodied in the intensity I approached this album. This album is the most human I could possibly be. I’m a father, a songwriter, a part-time farmer, and a record collector. I’ve found the most important things in my life are things I can hold in my hand. There’s still so much beauty in the world and so much to build. All I can do is write more songs about it.”

I’ve written about Prosek’s storytelling before, but what sets Redwood Cathedral apart from his earlier work is the scale of ambition. This is the first time he’s stepped up to a solo full-length record and he’s managed it without any filler. It’s a cohesive, immersive album.

If you want to keep up to date with all Ed Prosek is doing, you can do so by following him on Instagram.

Redwood Cathedral is out now, and you can listen to it below.