John Dorsch joins an ever-growing list of gifted Canadian musicians whose work finds global acceptance. The longtime guitarist only recently turned his attention to a role as a singer, but he’s written songs and played guitar for decades. His wealth of ideas and inspiration has borne fruit in recent times collaborating with his wife Dani in a duo with a couple of releases to their credit. His latest full-length album Elevation mixes instrumentals with a wide variety of lyrics addressing several subjects over the course of the collection’s fifteen songs. The instrumentals, likewise, aren’t content rehashing a single theme but, instead, have a wide lens that takes in multiple moods. The blending of these instrumental showcases with such sturdy lyrically centered songs coalesces into one of the year’s most formidable musical statements.
It begins in a low-key style. The title track opens the album with a glittering instrumental that pulls listeners immediately into his world. Musicians able to fuse superior technique with feeling are increasingly rare in the modern music world, but Dorsch accomplishes that thanks to his long apprenticeship and a clear commitment to continued growth. His pop songcraft, as well, shows the same characteristics. “Nothing to Lose” amps up the pace a little, never allowing it to careen out of control, and connects with definite impact when the song’s chorus hits. The go-for-broke attitude behind the lyric gets the right amount of urgency, as well, from the vocals.
WEBSITE: https://johndorschmusic.com/
“Seasons” begins with a smattering of percussion courtesy of Dorsch’s wife Dani before the instrumental begins in earnest. It relies on melody, as usual, as well as atmospherics honestly developed through his playing skill. These instrumental pieces are fully functional songs rather than ornamental and “Seasons” deserves a place beside the album opener as one of the finest tracks of its ilk on this release.
“Compromises” is another of the album’s most developed compositions. The music and lyrics alike reflect Dorsch’s maturity born from the countless years he’s played with local bands in the Ottawa area. The song’s point of view encompasses an impressive breadth of personal experience and Dorsch conveys it with a lively and impassioned vocal. Another of the album’s first-rate instrumentals is “Fort Hemlock”. The rustic flavor of the piece does nothing to diminish its winding energy and his precise yet emotive playing draws us into his web as deeply as its predecessors.
“Faith in Me” and “On My Way to Mexico” are two of the best tracks near the album’s end. The former incorporates a little rock dynamics into the singer/songwriter formula that has so far dominated the collection. The spaces he leaves open in the arrangement raise the song’s dramatic effect without ever sounding too plotted out. The latter track is one of Elevation’s best as Dorsch pens an involving road song that percolates with steady energy befitting its lyrics. It isn’t a perfect album, but there isn’t a song on Elevation that misses the mark entirely. It’s a worthwhile addition to any serious music fan’s library.
Heather Savage