Brooklyn – Bahamas is the moniker of Canadian singer-songwriter Afie Jurvanen, a musician whose styling floats above the rest and resonates in an exceptionally calming manner. Earlier this week, Bahamas broke the seal on the band’s much-anticipated third LP. With several tracks already leaked, the stage was set for greatness, as fans expectantly awaited the complete record.
Before its official release date, Jurvanen made public three tracks from the LP, and each release was more breathtaking than the last. Before the record stepped into the light, and before unpacking what’s already posted for public consumption, a moment of retrospection on this artist’s journey is critical.
Pink Strat was Jurvanen’s debut LP, which surfaced in 2009. The writing process of Pink Strat mirrors its palliative ambiance, as Jurvanen iconically recorded the album in a cabin in rural Ontario. A cooling, metaphysical sense of solitude hovers over the album, inviting a valuable degree of introspection.
Remoteness is strongly evident on the album, as it is on everything that Jurvanen crafts, but so too is the idea of human connectivity through expression. The duality of being inspired by solitude and relating to it ultimately elevates Jurvanen’s work to soaring, if unruffled, artistic peaks.
The writing and subsequent release of Pink Strat laid the groundwork that launched Jurvanen’s career in earnest. After its release, Jurvanen went on tour to support indie giants Wilco. Up next was a solo tour, where Bahamas rightfully stepped into center stage as the headlining act.
Bahamas’ sophomore album was Barchords, which saw the light of day in 2012. Barchords was exceptionally well received – in addition to earning a Canadian Juno nomination for Adult Alternative Album of the Year, Jurvanen also earned a nom for Songwriter of the Year for the ever-affecting tracks “Be My Witness,” Caught Me Thinking” and “Lost In The Light.”
Now, for this stand-apart wonder is Bahamas Is Afie, released on Tuesday via Brushfire Records. Our first listen from the record was “All The Time.” This track mimics the show-rushed mentality that’s typical of Jurvanen’s sound, but is masterfully punchier than anything produced to date. A touch of funk pervades the track, carried by Jurvanen’s full-bodied vocalizing. On “All The Time,” Jurvanen takes an edgier approach to his lyricism. Always the romantic, the track does not stray too far from previous themes. But on “All The Time,” we see Jurvanen embrace a sharper-edged attitude than ever before.
Next to surface was “Stronger Than That,” a track that shares the assertiveness of its predecessor. This cut is at once emboldened and therapeutic, and inspires individualism as easily as it promises fellowship. The last and final preview track was “Little Record Girl,” a melodic and up-tempo, alt-country styled cut. A touch less sentimental than the two previous tracks, the jam is lovable and sincere in more detached ways. “Little Record Girl” continues the trend of what the record clearly promises to be in its entirety: a more polished product than Bahamas has ever achieved, and every inch as enchanting as past works.
For a musician that’s shared the stage with heavyweight acts such as Feist, Howie Beck, Jason Collett, Jack Johnson, and The Weather Station, it’s a marvel and a mystery that Jurvanen’s work isn’t more widely known. But it’s still early days for Bahamas, and this next release will likely drum up an unprecedented amount of acclaim.
Jurvanen is currently on tour to support his latest LP, a walkabout that will be a coast-to-coast American and Canadian endeavor. Beginning mid-November, Bahamas will head to the UK, followed by a full-on European stint for the remainder of the month. Get familiar with Bahamas’ discography as soon as humanly possible, and ready yourself to fall madly in love with whatever Jurvanen offers up next.
Liz Rowley
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