Back on the scene since his 17-track magnum opus 2023 release, In Our Time, Dutch folk n’ roots songwriter P.J.M. Bond has returned with his third album, Coyote (King of the Island).
Released under the wings of the legendary Excelsior label, Coyote (King of the Island) is a critique of the contemporary music scene dominated by AI, streaming services, and plastic productions. It’s a call to the natural beauty around us, which we tend to take for granted in a modern age dominated by Big Tech.
The title track and single, “Coyote (King of the Island),” bursts at the seams with spontaneity, and an easy-on-the-ears folk rhythm perfect for a Newport Folk Festival setting. A flatpicked guitar and banjo propel the song forward, with its upbeat 7/8 time signature. The lyrics are a flowing stream of consciousness, and evoke images of Northern rural America combined with Bond’s own experiences traveling those parts.
Bond’s February single, “Ponderosa Pine,” is about escaping everyday reality and finding one’s roots and purpose in nature. It’s another beautiful energetic song suited for a folk festival, chock full of fiddle and harmonica. Like most of his songs, it has a catchy sing-song quality, and an heir of wholesomeness and authenticity.
His March single, “What the Hell Am I Supposed to Do?” is about “reaching a stalemate with someone you love,” he states. “Does one’s principles weigh heavier than a lifetime of love?” The song evokes the sombre yet beautiful melancholy of Carole King’s most intimate compositions, with a grounded upright piano, accompanied by a distraught and emotional lead vocal. It’s pure, confessional, direct and true. A personal pop song, yet concrete in its lyrical and melodical familiarity.
Coyote (King of the Island) was recorded live with all instrumentalists in the same room, with everyone hearing the new songs for the first time in the studio. Each song was recorded in just a handful of takes, without playbacks.
This method was executed in order to capture the energy of a song in its early stages, and to celebrate the beauty of making mistakes, musical risk-taking and of human interactions.
The album is chock full of introspecive poetry, modest literary victories, and richly textured songwriting, typical of P.J.M. Bond’s philosophy of music and songwriting.
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