By Sammy Park
Staff Writer
Illustration by Angelica Navarro
Staff Illutstrator
4.5/5
Joseph brings power and depth with wispy harmonies and coffee house-esque tracks. Native Dreamer Kin, the first self-released Joseph album, featured vocals mostly accompanied by soft acoustic guitar. On August 26, after months of an extensive world tour the Portland sister band, Joseph, released I’m Alone, No You’re Not. The album showcases new instrumentation, but still stays true to Joseph’s acoustic roots.
Natalie, Allison and Meegan Closner bend genres and blend voices on their second album. I’m Alone, No You’re Not begins with the raw, unrestrained “Canyon” about love and vulnerability, themes that run throughout the band’s album. The band’s realness continues with the second track “SOS (Overboard).” “SOS” deals with the complications of romantic love, but remains sonically catchy and upbeat.
The album tells the journey of a relationship. At first, both parties are afraid of exposing themselves (“Canyon” and “SOS”), then Joseph shares the moment of reflection (“Blood & Tears”). While lack of vulnerability may be something prevalent in a flowering relationship, I’m Alone, No You’re Not tells the stories of long term relationships where both parties are upset with a disconnect.
While the other tracks are great individually, together they begin to lose quality due to the repetitiveness of sounds. The band attempts to break up the monotonous harmonies, however, with “White Flag,” a song more passionate and memorable than the other 10.
Joseph’s brash lyrics accompanied by soft sounding melodies somehow blend together to create beautifully honest songs. The quiet instrumentation and mostly acoustic sounds highlight the buttery smooth voices of the Closner sisters. Vocal abilities carry the album to noteworthiness, despite its repetitive nature.
