On his latest album, Sun Glories, Oakland-based musician, composer, and producer Chuck Johnson delves deep into time, memory, and illusion, weaving them together through his distinctive fusion of pedal steel, synths, organs, strings, and drums. The result is another excellent record based on his ambient pedal steel experimentations that offers soothing but intriguing listening.
The opening track, “Teleos,” sets the tone, exploring the duality of time—its linear march and cyclical nature—through a series of episodic sections and recurring motifs. The piece captures the bittersweet relief and nostalgia accompanying the first warm, sunny day after a long, dark, and rainy winter, washing over the listener like a long-awaited embrace.
Johnson explains that “Teleos” took an unexpected turn as he began layering guitar textures reminiscent of the music from his youth, creating a tapestry of sound that evokes a flood of memories.
The interplay of evocative guitar lines and pedal steel builds a rich, intoxicating atmosphere. This reflective journey is propelled forward by Ryan Jewell’s improvisational and dynamic drumming, which injects a sense of urgency and movement, guiding the track toward its poignant conclusion.
“Superior Mirage” drifts in like a warm summer breeze, washing over you like the light from the radiant image on the LP’s cover. Like most songs on the record, the minimalist textures and experimental sounds merge, creating a meditative and evocative atmosphere.
“Hovering” is the longest track at nearly eight minutes. The pedal steel guitar, often associated with country music, is reimagined here as a haunting, ghostly presence. It drifts through the tracks like a spectral voice, weaving delicate melodies that resonate with a quiet yet profound emotional depth.
Chuck Johnson is known for his pedal steel playing, but on Sun Glories, every bit of country in the ambient compositions is taken out and replaced with a more minimalist approach that fits more neatly into a New Age category. Combined with Chuck’s sparse, shimmering synthesizer playing, the music comes alive with longing and melancholy. But maybe it’s not melancholy after all.
On tracks like “Hovering,” you feel more like you’re floating in space, and there’s less a sense of sadness and more a sense of awe. It’s almost as if this type of music would accompany a near-death experience as you move down the tunnel toward the white light and feel the radiance overtake you.
“Sylvanshine” is also cinematic in scope, building its narrative through layers of sound that rise and fall. The post-rock elements, like the guitar, are subtle but impactful, adding a soft edge with crescendos that gradually intensify before receding into stillness. Like all ambient tracks, it demands close attention to notice the nuanced movements.
“Ground Wave” further delves into tranquil and immersive sounds, unfolding slowly and demanding deep listening. Time further dissolves into echoes and whispers on the closing track, “Broken Spectre.” The song is the soft hum of a world just out of reach, woven from the threads of Johson’s dreams and memories. The song’s latter half intensifies and goes full post-rock for the grand finale.
Johnson has sometimes been lumped into the “ambient country” genre, but Sun Glories takes a different approach. Unlike his earlier solo guitar records, like the acclaimed Balsams, Johnson delves further into a full-band arrangement on Sun Glories that includes drums, cello, violin, and more.
Johnson’s credits as a film composer include HBO and PBS series scores, and Sun Glories feels much like a film score. It’s tranquil and meditative but constantly evolving and offering moments of grandeur. Sun Glories has been on heavy rotation for me since it was released, and I’ll continue to let it wrap me in its warm embrace in the months ahead.
Check out Sun Glories by Chuck Johnson on Bandcamp here.
Chuck Johnson: Bandcamp | Instagram | Official Website | Patreon
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