Album Feature Friday: Joshua Black Wilkins “Settling the Dust”
Joshua Black Wilkins sings with a conviction and attitude that makes no apologies and is delivered with a gruff and tainted passion that can only be attained from living through some shit. There is a deep growl in the tone of his voice, scratched and scarred with the stories that spring forth from his chest and out his mouth, stories that mean something. Stories that hit you in a place where other songs just can’t. Settling the Dust is able to maintain the “outlaw” attitude but mixes it with something so much deeper.
“Church on the Hill” is one of my favorite tunes, not just on this record, but just in general. There is just something so blue collar America, real and genuine about this tune. The arrangement as well is wonderful. How something gritty and downtrodden can be beautiful, I don’t know, but this is a prime of example of how it can be. A simple acoustic guitar that lays over some additional pickin ala banjo and bass notes ringing out over. This is where songwriting really shines.
there’s a church on the hill / and houses in the valley
and broken down factories / where our grand-dads used to work
The title track has a forward plowing drive to it. It maintains a steady beat throughout and really moves a bit. Thumping along, Wilkins proclaiming “we’re all just settling dust / we’re all just buying our time” in a weary but not beaten yet tone.
In contrast, the track ‘Late Night Talks’ is touched with the soft moan of a slide with a hint of that Springsteen Nebraska harp. Yearning. That’s what the song puts forth. I actually feel like the character in the song as I listen. Thats what I love most about Joshua’s songs, while they are extremely introspective and I would believe cathartic for the songwriter to pen, you can insert yourself into the story and really feel it enveloping you into the song. I love when music does that.
Sonically, the record has country and ‘outlaw’ overtones in places. It is haunting in its nature throughout. There is a great variety here, with hints of barn burners and bluesy inflections mixed with a moving and warm textures, with songs like ‘I Heard You Whisper’ taking notes from both, swirling steel parts over a country 2 step back beat and a crisp acoustic guitar strum.
What strikes me most about Wilkins is not the gritty nature of his voice, his well thought arrangements, or the beautiful way he crafts videos and imagery around his songs…its the stories and the writers passion for crafting a great narrative into his songs. That is the mark of a great writer and what sets them apart from the good ones. Joshua Black Wilkins is one of the great ones.
