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1/20/2024 Kris Gruen (from the album In Bloom
Kris Gruen (from the album In Bloom available on Mother West Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
Kris Gruen has yet to attain the larger following which he so decidedly deserves, but with his sixth album, In Bloom, he shares a set of songs that relay a sense of universal kinship. It finds him countering the world’s difficulties and distress with themes that embrace familial bonds and the satisfaction found in his love of home and hearth Kris Gruen comes about his craft quite naturally. The son of preeminent Rock’n’Roll photographer Bob Gruen, he made contacts with the musical elite early on, given that Joe Strummer, Blondie, and The Ramones were among his father’s clientele. That spirit and commitment informs Gruen’s new album, and while most of the songs — the title track, “The Table”, “Running and Being Loud”, “Heaven on a Car Ride” (performed with Kendall Jane Meade), and “You’re the One I’m Looking For” (featuring a duet with his daughter Jasmine) — bask in quiet reflection, they leave an indelible impression in their wake. “Reckoning” on the other hand, allows for a momentary uptick in energy, bring to mind the enthusiasm and exhilaration of the hallowed New York music scene that his father documented so effectively early on. So too, an effusive cover of the Clash’s classic “Bankrobber” takes on a new urgency, albeit in a Pop-centric form. The unhurried pacing that’s so predominant throughout reflects the fact that much of the music was recorded in first takes, an impressive feat considering the delicate arrangements that grace each of these offerings. Then again, Gruen had the benefit of a skilled group of session players to assist him, a collective that includes drummer Butch Norton (Lucinda Williams, Rufus Wainwright, Tracy Chapman), bassist Ed Maxwell (Shelby Lynne, Rickie Lee Jones), horn player Probyn Gregory (Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney) and guitarist Eli Wulfmeir (Nikki Lane). Gruen clearly manages to find solace and serendipity within the comfort and caress of his immediate environs, which makes In Bloom a genuine labor of love in every sense. It’s a comforting set of songs, and at this particular time in the planet’s history, where violence, hatred and abject uncertainty seem to be on the rise, it serves as a reminder that there are still things worth cherishing and holding dear. ‘I still believe in love’ Kris Gruen insists on “Leaving Light” just as the album makes a final fade. Given these tender sentiments and tuneful tributes, it’s easy to take him at his word. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of Kris Gruen from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Kris Gruen website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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