Jon Kohen

Jon Kohen – “Dead Reckoning” (Endless Bummer Records)

Records written and recorded in the wake of a beloved one’s death can, of course, be dark affairs. Some would say they must by definition be, the subtext being ‘this is no time for joy.’ And though such a document can be rewarding in its own mordant way, quite often they ultimately bring one to one’s crestfallen knees, the heart slumped and the spirit sinking with it. On Jon Kohen’s Dead Reckoning, the essence of that memo seems to have been missed. While in no way oblivious to the heavy gravity of loss that compelled the recording of the album – the passing, on May 6th, 2015 of close friend Emily Yeadon – Kohen manages to imbue these tracks with a breath of yearning and resilient hope that, if not exactly uplifting, is at at least firm in its determination to not yield to despair, to not fall into the maudlin. One thing Kohen’s not here is beaten down.

Not a million miles away from the clouded ruminations of Elliott Smith (that same strong grasp of melody’s importance though perhaps more an updated, somewhat effects-laden draw from the Simon and Garfunkel school than from the Beatles), Dead Reckoning takes that intimacy and makes damn sure the listener knows that the singer bringing it is gonna be alright. Call it mortal ebullience, call it a gilded defiance, whatever it is it’s there on the morse code-stippled “Day by Day,” its plainspoken fatalism met – and defied – by a heartbeat march of a tempo. It’s there in the sheer acoustic determination of “God Bless You,”the fretboard absorbing the singer’s emphatic gratitude; it’s there past the harrowing whispers of “Keep Moving Forward,” its piano twinkling gait, umm, moving forward like someone running through alternating patches of shadow and sunlight. Truly, lingering like an inextinguishable aura past the inevitable somberness of tone an elegiac record of sorts betokens, the spirit of revival persists (check the bright burst of treated keyboard at a key moment of “With Monsters at My Heels,” the very sound of a fragility given strength).

Not always one to be pulled inside a record like this, Dead Reckoning’s blend of devotional, accomplished songcraft, the discreet application of effects – at several points the pips of morse code sound across the mix like transmissions from the ether, as a single example – and a resonant, full, and pristine mix (tip of the hat to Kevin Dwyer) makes for a riveting, rather transfixing listening experience that deserves the broadest attention possible. Spread the word. [Dead Reckoning available from Endless Bummer Records in both digital and physical form here] √√√ - Stereo Embers Magazine

The Heart of the Machine is the debut EP from Lowell, MA based artist Jon Kohen. With a style reminiscent of Elliot Smith, Kohen delivers four tracks of intimate, haunting acoustic music, with subtle electronic flourishes. Lush synth pads and minimal beats provide a welcome accompaniment to stunning acoustic guitar and vocal work. This is an artist that everyone needs to discover. Stream and buy The Heart of the Machine at the link below. - Floorshime Zipperboots

This is the solo project of Jon Kohen, a member of Kismet. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, his debut album came out this year titled The Heart Of The Machine. The acoustic/folk aspect of Kismet is present, but with a much darker tone, and a lot of atmospheric electronics to fill in the space behind Jon's delicately haunting vocals. As far as comparisons can go, the Elliott Smith influence is evident, the daint melancholy and acoustic meandering resembles Carissa's Wierd, and the electronica hints could be attributed to Radiohead circa Kid A or In Rainbows (but more as a background atmosphere). Overall, Jon Kohen has crafted four beautiful songs here that envelops the listener in a gentle despair. I highly recommend giving this a try, there is some true talent here. This is an album that grabs your attention and takes you to another place to wallow in the music, both by sympathizing with Jon's loss as well as relating your own. Be sure to give it a listen and support what you can. - Sophie's Floorboard

Some of you may already be familiar with Jon Kohen's work. Whether it be with his band Kismet, or his solo material, both of which have been covered on this blog, his output is always astounding. Kohen is a Lowell, MA-based musician who's new EP, Curse the Darkness, or Create a Light today. Accompanying him is the a 13-piece string ensemble, featuring some members of the Lowell String Quartet, whose gargantuan bliss of somber orchestration contrast perfectly with Jon's whisper-thin vocals and guitar. If you're looking for some incredible, beautiful-sounding indie/acoustic music, this new EP is definitely a go-to for 2016.

I've done a quick track-by-track breakdown of the EP, but really just encourage you to give a listen yourself. It's a fantastic piece of work, in both an artistic and personally touching sense. It reminds me a lot of some of amazing artists, including Elliott Smith, Iron & Wine, and Carissa's Wierd, who I can not say enough positive things about. Same goes for this EP, and all of Jon's work of course. He's been a long-time supporter of the blog, just as I've been a long-time fan of his work. Thus, I'd encourage you to give it a listen, not only for that but also because this is some truly fantastic music he's created, and it needs to be shared and heard, so please enjoy.

The first track here is "A Light", which begins as it's title would suggest, with a gentle, catchy melody backed by a fingerpicked guitar. It instantly resonates, and though the instruments and melodies sound bright, the vocals pack a looming or longing in them, giving off the shadow that all light inevitably produces, or something of the sort. The strings hang in the background until the song peaks in the middle, at which point they come in full-force, elegantly layering and building on each other. The song breathes for a moment to let Jon's melodies take over before ending in a loud, longing harmony of strings and vocals.

"Between The Bars" might sound familiar, and understandably so, since it's a cover of a classic Elliott Smith song. You can see Jon and the string section perform it below, and both the recorded and live versions are absolutely magnificent. First of all, Smith's music suits Jon's style perfectly, so the match is inevitably good. For this track, Jon manages to maintain the sober, haunting atmosphere that Elliott established, and lets the strings take the song to a new height. Whether it be the slight staccato at the beginning, or the long, flowing embellishes of the chorus, the strings really make a sad song soar. - Sophie's Floorboard