Bringing together a collection of avowedly anthemic and cinematic pieces of catchy commercial pop that’s contemplative and earnest, Johan Gidden has arrived in power. The tunes combine themes of faith, doubt, longing, the darkness, and more within genres that range from modern indie pop to Americana. Entirely done on his own, ‘Unprepared’ draws influences from singer-songwriters of old and new like John Mayer and Finneas. He was also a former and founding member of Sugar & The Mint, the youngest band to ever win the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Contest.
What struck immediately about this album was its earnestness about discussing faith openly. Opening with the titular track, a more melodic and happy guitar driven piece sets you in a more jovial mood. His falsetto on the chorus as he sings ‘What Now’ is an instant highlight. As the chorus winds down, he subtly sings ‘I’m unprepared’, an overall expertly crafted uptempo soft rock tune. His voice, which draws from all the singers he’s inspired from, is warm and comforting. ‘Through Your Eyes’ is slightly similar to its predecessor, a more uptempo and chorus driven guitar piece but with more edge. Notably, the final minute has a slow jam electric solo that’s seductively serenading.
In a way, Unprepared is a story of Glidden’s own journey from fear and inadequacy, to self-acceptance and trust in a loving God. Influenced by the throes that the Pandemic hurled him into, the record opens with “white noise of a dark time.” Each song explores new territory, with ‘Scary’ being a more haunting and ominous tone. ‘We Made You’ is almost a folk tune, entirely stripped back with a harmonised vocal performance and keenly emotive acoustic work. Shores of Nineveh, is the most grandiose and over the top piece on the album, simply loaded with a powerful air and anthemic feel. It narrates the story of Glidden’s struggles with himself and his resistance to God’s love
If you’re looking for a pop record to delve into, especially one that combines the high with the low, and the soft with the loud, Johan Glidden’s debut solo endeavour is a perfect fit. The songwriting talent on display is majestic and dexterous. A pop record to remember, undoubtedly.
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