You may know Caleb Landry Jones from his acting roles. Google him and get a flash of recognition. But for readers of this blog, and fans of the sort of music that influenced Jones (clearly), we're going to be talking about him as a musician from here going forward. The Mother Stone, out now on Sacred Bones Records, is an epic release, one which embraces a kind of swoon-y pop few have heard in decades.
The record is sequenced to not have a break between tracks, and with the songs running together, the whole of The Mother Stone feels like a release that one must experience in one sitting. Claiming inspiration from his love of Syd Barrett, I think it's safe to say that Caleb Landry Jones owes a debt to Hunky Dory-era Bowie, Bolan, and possibly even Paul Williams. From the pretty and scary "You're So Wonderfull" to the cathartic "No Where's Where Nothing's Died", Jones is taking glam rock and imbuing it with more emotion than it's had in decades. One might be tempted to look to contemporaries Foxygen for a comparison point but this record is a bit more successful, as far as I'm concerned.
"Licking the Days" does sound like Syd, but "For the Longest Time" made me imagine David Bowie covering Nilsson, or something. "I Want to Love You" is like something from Rocky Horror done up with better instrumentation, even as "Thanks for Staying" careens around like any number of Seventies acts who've earned comparisons to British music hall stuff. The Mother Stone is an epic record, and one that's largely successful. Of course, the melodies sort of all run together after a spell, making the whole thing a woozy rush, but Caleb Landry Jones has to be applauded for having the ambition to even attempt something this brash, daft, and lush.
The Mother Stone is out now via Sacred Bones Records.
[Photo: Jacqueline Castel]