A search for truth amidst modern-day turmoil.
“Luv in the New World” is the title of Canadian artist Joe Nolan’s new album, produced by Grammy Award winner Tyler Chester. Mostly recorded on tape live off the floor, there is an immediate rawness and warmth to the sound that adds extra weight to Nolan’s compositions, further enriched by an excellent group of accompanying musicians. The lineup might change from one song to another, but Nolan’s perfectly controlled voice remains as one of the album’s key elements.
The record kicks off with ‘Wake Up Sleepy Anna’, a smooth yet poignant track that was released as the album’s lead single. The lyrics tell the story of Anna, a fictional character who serves as a symbol for hope in uncertain times. It’s a wake-up call in which an optimistic attitude is taken despite the maelstrom of violent imagery that precedes in each verse, a contrast well-echoed in the choice of instrumentation. Piano, strings and soft backing vocals serve as a counterpoint to the rolling electric guitar licks in the background, reinforcing one of the song’s main ideas.
Next up is ‘Too Much Time to Kill’, a lyrically darker track about a solitary man who reminisces over memories of a lost love, with plenty of room for further interpretation. The beautiful backing vocals by Sara Watkins, who also plays fiddle on this track, hover over the song as the phantom of Loretta, the woman mentioned repeatedly throughout. In general, “Luv in the New World” is a heavily narrative album, and ‘Too Much Time to Kill’ is a good example of how Nolan crafts his stories from small details and sometimes vague allusions that allow the narratives to expand in the listener’s mind.
There are plenty of stories in the album, and you can imagine Nolan finds inspiration in his travels, as he is known to perform around 150 shows every year, between North America and Europe, often in his Dodge Caravan. There’s a clear dedication to his music, an idea that’s touched upon in ‘Blood on the Pages’, a song for all those people who commit their lives to chasing their dreams, and especially to those who choose a life on the road. Some might fall short and be left behind along the way, but others, like Nolan, carry on regardless.
A personal favourite on the album is ‘Daffodil’, a stripped-down ballad of great emotional power. Here, once again, Anna makes an appearance, giving new meaning to the lyrics:
“You’re not giving up
They say we’re gonna lose in love
Anna, are you strong enough?
Wanna know the truth of it
We didn’t choose it
We were born with the music
It’s time we use it”
Influenced by the title “Luv in the New World”, different listeners may approach the album with varying ideas about what this might mean in relation to the lyrics, for instance, romantic expressions specific only to our times. However, love can exist in many forms, whether it’s love for another person, a better world, one’s passions, people who are no longer here, or distant memories. All these varied facets are touched upon within the context of general uncertainty, which in the album serves as the core representation of modern issues, allowing for more personal stories to be woven around the underlying chaos.
