Soulful and Moving

There’s nothing like a small miracle to propel one into a successful career in music. Born deaf, Jono McCleery didn’t gain the ability to hear until the age of five, but quickly learned that he had an ear for music. At the age of 18, he picked up a guitar and found his calling, refining his talent on the London circuit. Touring with the One Taste Collective allowed McCleery to gain some followers, and that loyal fan base crowdfunded his debut album, Darkest Light, released in 2008. After receiving critical acclaim with his second album, There Is, in 2011, McCleery is back with Pagodes on October 2^nd.

Pagodes, released by Ninja Tune in partnership with London music store If Music, is an eclectic work full of incredible thought. The album may be mellow but it is hard to ignore. Beautiful instrumentation pairs astoundingly with McCleery’s profound and assuasive voice. The album blends genres, from minimalistic folk to acoustic jazz, and incorporates guitar, piano, and intriguing production embellishments.

The album opens with a fingerpicked acoustic riff in the poignant folk track “This Idea Of Us.” McCleery’s soulful voice smolders as a string section soars in the background. Time is transcended with a cover of Robert Wyatt’s “Age of Self,” a folk acoustic rendition that McCleery makes his own. In tracks such as, “Since I” and “Painted Blue,” a reverse production effect is utilized to create an atmospheric and electronic influence. “Fire in my Hands” is a jazzy piano song in which McCleery embodies a roaring 20’s crooner. A standout track on the album is “Bet She Does.” The finger-picked acoustic ballad is fueled by the emotional power of McCleery’s voice and balanced by the minimalism of the sole acoustic. “I don’t miss you all that much / I bet she does.”

Pagodes is a culmination of a diverse talent. McCleery’s album creates astonishing power and emotion with its subdued momentum and existential themes.