Search - Chris Juhlin :: Last Train to Joy

This Washington-born songwriter has currently rooted in Alaska and put together a intimate, introspective sound with his newest studio incarnation, "Last Train to Joy". The album rides the crest of a chilled-out, Sublime/Jack Johnson-like vibe with songs like "Everyone Gets Down" and "Around Every Corner," while crashing into some dynamic folk and more emotive, lyrically-driven songs like "Permanent Distraction" and "Last Train to Joy." Juhlin gives way to neither joy nor despair throughout the album, leaving the listener to chose his/her own space within the song. The opening track, "Miles and Miles," takes you on a moody ride between the defiant ignorance and infinite wisdom of "...seeing for miles and miles just staring at the sky...". The second track, "Between the Lines" literally walks the line of falling in love, teetering between liberation and apprehension with "hesitation breathing down my back". Later tracks like "New Situation" embody the restless need for change, and the colorful "Rain" bursts with acoustic subtleties and soothing instrumentation. But it is "Forbidden Sky," with it's classic storytelling and melodic harmonica, that captures this albums dynamic essence and contemporary relevance best. With the age-old double sacrifice of one friend needing the eventful lure of "forbidden sky" and the other needing the comfort and predictability of "familiar sky".