Jackson Cavalier
‘Spellbound’
Self-released
Anyone who’s heard a live
performance by Jackson Cavalier knows that iconic, riotous sound: the booming,
makeshift suitcase-kick drum contraption; the unwieldy and battered acoustic
guitar that riffs on blues and alt-folk themes; and Cavalier’s distinct howls
and bellows that shape word for every introspective word. Recently released,
“Spellbound” takes Cavalier’s signature sound and pushes it to new, unexplored
territories.
With a more polished and poppy take on songwriting, and
well-developed, full-band segues between strongly written prose,
this is an enlivening departure from his previous work. The twelve songs on
“Spellbound” bop and groove. From sagas played in minor keys about far-off
lovers to devil-may-care, grim reaper rippers, Cavalier’s wails turn to
whispers on a dime. Cavalier is an all-or-nothing kind of musician, and
“Spellbound” is sonic proof of his dynamic range.
This article appears in Dec 19-25, 2018.
