LP5

LP5

John Moreland’s past albums established him as the sort of singer-songwriter who’s continually refining his craft, his compositions impressively clear-sighted, occasionally bleak, and often framed with arid roots-rock accompaniment. His fifth full-length, titled simply LP5 and produced by Matt Pence, is subtly lighter in spirit. There’s a mesmerizing quality to its musical palette, guitars accompanied by airy ambient effects, delicately dismantled piano and synth parts, and insinuating rhythmic patterns, some of them generated by Moreland’s drum machine noodling. That musical experimentation was part of his writing process, which yielded lyrics of mellow wisdom, wit, and equanimity. “These golden gods keep telling me their lies, but I just wanna be true,” Moreland shrugs in his laconic way during “I’m Learning How to Tell Myself the Truth.” During “A Thought Is Just a Passing Train,” he merges serene contemplation with low-key 12-bar blues, and during “When My Fever Breaks,” he draws comfort from the intensity of romantic desire.

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