I think I encountered Jeremy Blake (AKA Red Means Recording) the way that many do. It was a simple video capturing a musical process.You watch as a pair of hands feels out pieces of a track. Finding the right sound, making it work, phrasing it right. I quickly fell in love with the way that these tracks sounded. More. I loved the gentle insight into the process behind the tracks. Blake's tutorials and explorations of gear helped my own understanding of how I make music and how I could do it better. It would be easy for me to get caught up in the RMR videos, as so often we do watching videos, but just because I encountered them first does not make them the most important. Exploring Blake's (honestly fairly large) discography lead me to some fantastic albums. Amidst these is Psychic Realty.

In listening for this piece I found that choosing favorites and stand out tracks to explore was incredibly challenging. This is not due to weakness in any of these tracks, but rather that they are all strong and consistent. Great drums. Enrapturing sounds. Relateable lyrics. Good production. Good singing. I love that inside a track each phrase or musical concept is explored and completed. It makes sense in my brain. They move from one full and conceived musical phrase or feeling to another in a way that feels complete on its own and fulfilled in the completed song. Each Track then does the same within the album. I love the way "Something We Can Stand" jumps in and builds. I love the way "Holdon" spits out relateable lyrics and that absolutely nonstop beat is hot. I love "Old Bear" with acoustic guitar and stripped back production. I love the way that rhythm feels present and can be caught. I love the guitars and drums. I love the fully fabricated noises. I like the new and the old. What stands out for me though, and why I chose this album, is that the lyrics fill my heart with as much sound as the instruments. Songs about taking a step over a threshold and the anxieties. Songs talking you back from the ledges in your mind. Songs about good friends. Not all of them are incredibly serious, but they feel very genuine.

My reservations in putting this forward as what may be people's first encounter with Blake's music are not unfounded. It is a bit different from some of their other music. But, listening to it again wiped those reservations away. I was reminded of what these songs meant to me and how good they are. The more pop-rock entry to his music gave me a sort of traditional bench to sit on and absorb the ideas before taking a walk through the park of the more rich instrumentals in the discography. Let me be clear. I love this album for itself. It is very good and I deeply enjoy all of these songs. But, I just want to express that the other albums here are incredible. If you found yourself lost in the sounds and feelings of these songs I promise you will find just as much in their other music, just in very different ways.

PLEASE go and listen to more of Jeremy's music. If you are a musician or interested in the tech or creation of music then I also suggest their videos.