Album Review: Jonah Kagen - 'Sunflowers and Leather'
One to watch, Jonah Kagen lays it all out on his debut album ‘Sunflowers and Leather’.
The first album is always going to be a momentous release for an artist. It is their introduction to the world, a first taste of the sound they hope to create and an invitation for fans new and old to tune in. Its special when it hits but for the case of Jonah Kagen, this debut is a punch to the gut in all the ways that matter. ‘Sunflowers and Leather’ is the culmination of 4 years work and is informed by all the things he has experienced in that time. A metaphor on life, the album explores the highs and lows with ‘Sunflowers’ being a reference to moments of joy, growth and light and ‘leather’ reflecting the tougher periods of hardship and struggle. Both are symbols of resilience and perseverance and become emblematic for the overarching theme of the record : hope.
The album opens with an inhale of breath before launching into Kagen’s distinctive fingerstyle guitar and searing vocals. The first track, ‘When My Ashes Turn White’, starts things at the end. Death and the idea of what comes next has long been a subject matter Kagen has been fascinated by so it makes a lot of sense that the beginning of his sonic introduction does the same.
‘I think about death all the time, and that may sound bleak,but it’s based on the fear that I’m not going to do enough or do my life justice. I see so much value in this finite amount of time that we have here.’
His interest is far from macabre. Sure, it's existential but not in a way that is morbid or sad. His concern with death comes from his awareness of all the things he wants to see and feel. With the understanding that it is limited, he wants to live a life that is as complete as it possibly can be. That is what this song, and in many ways the rest of the album, is all about. Living as full a life as you can - heartbreak and all. Having set the atmosphere, it is wonderfully poetic that the next song remarks on the start to Jonah’s life. Upbeat and sung in a way that is reminiscent of the cheekiness of young boys, he explains ‘I was born in a field of sunflowers and I, I didn’t feel a thing… I grew up with love and walls and concrete beneath my feet, why would I ever leave this place when sunflowers are all I see?’. A love letter turned farewell, it follows his decision to leave home and see what the world had to offer. It becomes clear from these two tracks that Jonah is intent on taking listeners on the journey he went on, demonstrating the things and experiences that have forged the artist he is today.
All 16 tracks on the album were written and produced inside of the Airstream trailer Kagen lived in during a cross country trip that took place in the aftermath of a breakup. His wanderlust and love for adventure bleed into every song he writes and the bumps and external noise of being constantly on the move are evident in the way he records and produces his work.
When I was learning how to produce, it was early on, when very polished pop was what I was listening to on the radio. If you record on an expensive microphone in a sound-treated room, there is no external noise, there's nothing. And what the Airstream did was interrupt that perspective for me because it made it so that you can't do it perfectly in there. So, you get creative and just see what opportunities present themselves every now and again. You'll hear something fall in the background or I'll leave the door open and you hear the outdoors. Some things—like the animals from that farm—I find to be very human, and these types of things make the recordings really special.
His approach to music is much like the way he looks at and lives life : without boundaries or limitations. The go-with-the-flow nomadic way of living means his artistry is informed by the pieces it picks up along the way. Blending indie, folk, pop and of course plenty of country influences and technique makes his songwriting uniquely layered, multi dimensional and timeless. In belonging to no genre or style, it becomes universal.
In the lead up to the album drop, Kagen released singles “Burn Me” featuring Sam Barber, “The Reaper” and the emotional reckoning that is ‘You Again’. The final of the aforementioned tracks happens to be both his and my personal favourites, in large part due to the way it devastates its listeners. Fuelled by the isolation and existential thoughts inflicted from his time on the road, it is a record that is deeply personal, both in a lyrical sense and a sonic one. It sees Kagen trying and in ways failing to move on from the nagging ghosts of a past love and the frustration that comes when you realise that you can’t just run away from your feelings - where can you go when the memories are everywhere you turn?
‘It so aptly described the emotion I was going for. With those more anthemic, bigger songs, I try to match the emotional experience with the sonic one… With this one, it feels like a panic attack. The music feels like what the words are saying, at least to me… It was just kind of this really nice culmination of all the things that I was trying to do with this album.”
The rest of the album reflects Kagen’s dedication to his lyrics creating a sense of intimacy but on ‘You Again’, the feelings you get from listening are overwhelming. There’s an almost cinematic quality to ‘You Again’ and his ability to blend and overlay different elements creates something that is textured and rich without being overpowering. The harmonies in particular are sung like a battle cry, each note in the chord more searing than the last. Of all the songs on the album, this is the one I am most excited to hear live.
At the start of the year Jonah made it his plan to go on a mammoth tour. By the day the album releases, he will be 11 shows into his national tour which sees him play almost every state in America. For those unfortunate enough to be living across the pond, we wait with baited breath to see whether he will add European and British dates in the new year, hopefully taking on the summer festival circuit in 2026.
Words by Kirsty-Ann Thomson
