Promoting growth with acoustic guitars and poetry

On Local Valley, Swedish singer-songwriter José González’s first album in six years, González showcases his growth as a singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist over the course of 13 tracks, while using his lyrics to encourage the listener to grow with him. But the main selling point of this album is his intricate fingerstyle guitar playing and complex riffs. 

A mystifying fingerpicking pattern kicks off the album on “El Invento.” González’s voice floats over the acoustic accompaniment as he sings a relaxing melody in Spanish, and the lyrics are filled with ideas to contemplate if one listens closely. The album’s second track, “Visions,” perfectly encapsulates the album. It’s a sweet song about the coming together of humankind, learning and living through life’s unknowns—this establishes the central theme of growth. 

“Head On” starts with guitar strumming and some percussion before González starts to alternate between playing rhythm and a lead melody. The lyrics are minimal, with repeated lines that are only one or two words each. Even with this minimalist approach, he manages to get his message across, which is to “head on” and keep going forward despite the setbacks and challenges of life. 

“Valle Local” is the title track and the second song in Spanish on this album. The guitar on this track is fast-paced, bassy and percussive. The vocals are also face-paced, with more stripped-down lyrics. But the best part of this track is the uptempo riff González plays a little after the one-minute mark to the end of the song. 

“Swing” is one of the few tracks with more accompaniment than just acoustic guitar, featuring drums, bass and even vocal harmonies. The lyrics are rather simplistic and not as profound as they on other songs, as González merely encourages someone to dance and swing. However, it’s still the most upbeat and exciting song on the album. 

“Line Of Fire” is a return to the formula of mellow acoustic guitar and poetic lyrics, featuring the occasional riff during the breaks of vocals. González questions the listener about what their character is like when no one is looking. He asks the listener to be introspective through answering his questions and pondering the statements in his lyrics. This song, like the rest of the album, will push the listener to understand themselves and grow if listened to correctly.

On Local Valley, José González gives people an acoustic and introspective journey that showcases his growth as an artist while promoting self-improvement and introspection.