James Blackshaw — Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death

I'm sometimes tempted to submit a review that is nothing more than one word.  The initial draft of this review simply said 'beautiful'.  James Blackshaw's ninth record, and his second for Important, is a collection of pieces for classical guitar and grand piano that feature all of the hallmarks of Blackshaw's sound, refined as ever.  Without a note out of place, Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death is as captivating as one could hope from forty minutes of music.

The title track opens proceedings with eight minutes of beautiful picked folk guitar, joined occasionally by the piano.  A timeless sounding piece that walks the line between the dark and melancholic and the light and hopefully, before reaching a euphoric climax, augmented by organ.  'Her Smoke Rose Up Forever' and 'We Who Stole the Dream' tip over to the dark side, both with a more classical sound, whilst 'A Momentary Taste of Being's major key slant adds a welcome relief.

The remaining two pieces are arranged for piano.  'And I Have Come Upon This Place by Lost Ways' features dramatic and powerful vocals by Geneviève Beaulieu and a jazzy refrain which on paper sound like they would jarr, but work perfectly as the album's centerpiece.  The closer's title, 'The Snows are Melted, the Snows are Gone', fits the piece like a glove.  Emotionally powerful but musically gentle, the piece evokes the passing of something beautiful.  Whilst Blackshaw is most known for the technically astounding guitar work on display throughout this album, this final piano piece is the standout piece here.  As organ and vibraphone join during the album's final minute, it is already impossible to imagine not wanting to start the album again as soon as it has finished.

None of these words quite do the album the same justice as my first draft, but hopefully they'll help inspire people to seek out a copy of the record.