music journalist since 1992 | educator since 2004 | podcaster since 2020 | Iranian American since birth
Reviewed for Electronic Musician Magazine March 2015 Issue:
Jose Gonzalez Vestiges And Claws (Mute)
José González turns inwards once again with his third solo album, Vestiges and Claws. Wholly self-produced, González’s instantly recognizable resonant vocals take center stage alongside his hollow guitar plucks, which are buffered by understated percussion and barely detectable harmonies. Spare but impactful, González’s patented brand of progressive folk oscillates between more and less percussive. He hits his stride on the soothing earworm, “Stories We Build, Stories We Tell,” and the upward swings of “Leaf Off/The Cave.”
Listen to Jose Gonzalez perform in The Current’s studio.