We’re fresh off the back of an action packed World Cup. The soundtrack of which has been the sound rooted in Americana and a new wave of country rock which saw Luke Combs recently headline Wembley Stadium. Another act keen to get their voice heard again are Judah and The Lion headed by the eponymous frontman Judah Akers accompanied by Brian Macdonald. Being far from newcomers (they formed in 2011), their latest release ‘I Am A Prism’ attempts to embody the enriched colourful landscape of America, but unfortunately flatters to truly deceive. It fails to truly differentiate from the rest of the pack when it comes to country-infused hard rock.
‘I Am A Prism’ is J&TL’s sixth full album release, and to their credit, have at least tried to find their voice with their 15-year musical adventure. Their previous release, ‘The Process’, diverted from straight-up country rock to incorporate more ambient pieces. The ambience went down well and showed an alternative sound to the mainstream country rock sound that has been a prominent feature in the popular music of the 2020s.
‘I Am A Prism’ opens with the title track (of sorts), ‘Prism’ starts with a gentle mandolin riff to settle the nerves, but after a while it does start to grate on you. The wails from Akers whilst emotive are a little tiresome and proves not to be an adrenaline shot to an album which anticipates to be captivating and sensorial. Despite feeling slightly aggrieved, I soldier on in search of diamonds in the rough of a sonic desert. ‘Gut Punch’ feels slightly different, an energetic and uplifting number; it is in sharp contrast to gloom and lifeless opener and confronts the challenges that Akers and Macdonald have faced in the period leading up to this release. The rewards and reality of fatherhood that Akers experienced is the joy after the previous albums dealt with loss and melancholy brought on by mental health challenges. This is a tune which confronts difficulty with personal triumph that is waiting in the wings.
The praiseworthy ‘Gut Punch’ is in contrast to the challenging flatliner ‘As The Crow’. Clocking in at 6:04, it is a song that should have been halved for more of a pleasant listening experience. It goes on far too long for it to become interesting. The chord changes and movement into the chorus isn’t exciting enough to become fully engrossed. Whilst it is typical to have extended cuts at a slower tempo/pace, it comes with a warning that you might get bored very easily if there is nothing to hang your hat on. As the crow flies, this one lets down. Fear not, there are a couple of tracks to save the album. ‘Miracle’ is a track bursting with life and is the high point of the records, as is lead single ‘Powerless’ both of which have helped boost their already impressive near 1m streams. “Powerless” is a track that once again confronts personal struggles in an uplifting manner and achieves depth that at parts is otherwise lacking. The lyrics reflect on the helpless and pathetic nature of addiction and the reality of confronting it:
These lyrics are playful, but one major flaw is the lazy stereotypes of not giving up being somewhat “American”?? Am I missing something? Surely resilience is universal? It is just too corny to listen to and to take seriously. That’s not to downplay the realities of addiction, but artists have put it better; give me ‘Under The Bridge’ or ‘Heroin’ over this. The closer ‘My Love Is Yours’ is a sombre introspection aided by strings and harmonies to give it a starry night effect. It aims to give the listener a change to look out and dream of an uncertain future with perhaps a bit of good fortune. Good fortune comes to those who wait, and whether they want to wait for a new album to improve on this is up to them. I sincerely hope so.
This record, whilst dealing with a few tender subjects and offering some energetic lifts, delivers too late for anyone to truly engage. It’s a hangover from the World Cup that, now the new season has started, appears tiresome in the face of something exciting.
5/10