by Dan Goldin (@paintingwithdan)
Josaleigh Pollett’s third album, In The Garden, By The Weeds felt like a breakout moment of sorts for the Salt Lake City based musician. It would seem their musical evolution continues on If I Let It Quiet, a fantastic record that embraces gorgeous art pop (leaning on the pop end to fantastic results) and soft focus synth experimentation. Due out on July 24th via Audio Antihero (Frog, Avery Friedman, Tiberius) and Lavender Vinyl, the avant-pop album is deeply focused despite the production being split between Utah and Japan. Perhaps it’s in that freedom to step into the unknown that lets the album breathe the way it does, moving in plumes of smoke and a dreamy (but never “gazy”) disconnected bliss that’s plucked, strummed, and programmed into being. At the core of it all is Pollett’s beautiful voice which has never sounded better, their words given emotional strength from a dynamic melodic range that’s spellbinding throughout.
While much of the album is built on minimal textures, “The Witness,” the record’s first proper single (following the release of “Radio Player” back in October), dives in with a splash. Sweeping and layered, Pollett and their longtime collaborator Jordan Watko (Crowd Shy) bring an celestial landscape to what at heart is a pop song, With a radiant hook and Pollett’s mesmerizing vocals locked in for maximum impact, the song’s structure is able to swirl and swell, wrapping itself in sustained keys, a sprightly rhythm, and a general anything-goes sense of folk pop charm.
Speaking about the single and the upcoming album, Pollett shared:
“The Witness is a song about knowing that to be seen and held and understood, you must first see and hold and understand. It’s about love, beyond limits and gender, across multiple universes. It’s also a little bit about deleting my Twitter account.
This album is an exploration of what it takes to quiet the noise of geographical and emotional distance in order to hear ourselves and the ones who see us. In true independent DIY fashion and similar to 2023's In The Garden, By The Weeds, If I Let It Quiet is recorded mostly at home between my Salt Lake City makeshift home studio and Jordan's apartment in Japan. The difference this time is that we're bringing in more collaborations . In particular, Andrew Goldring, who in addition to mixing and mastering, brought deeper instrumentation to If I Let It Quiet.”
Tour Dates:
05/27 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
07/25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ First Baptist Church
07/28 - Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club
07/29 - Whidbey Island, WA @ Koneksi Gallery
07/30 - Seattle, WA @ Conor Byrne Pub
07/31 - Portland, OR @ Turn! Turn! Turn!
08/02 - Eugene, OR @ Porch Fest
08/03 - Chico, CA @ Naked Lounge
08/04 - San Jose, CA @ Heavy Lemon
08/05 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Woodbridge
08/06 - Las Vegas, NV @ Dustland
08/07 - St. George, UT @ Amusement Co Records
08/14 - Denver, CO @ D3 Arts