Jeremy Enigk - Ghosts (Lewis Hollow, 2017)

Jeremy Enigk
Ghosts
Lewis Hollow
2017

Rating: 8 meaningless fruit out of 10

I can’t seem to form these thoughts into a coherent paragraph(s), so I’m going bullet points with this one.

• My initial thought in writing about this new Jeremy Enigk record was to note that he had released a new record, thinking this was a unique thing.  I honestly thought 2006’s “World Awaits” was the last thing he put out, but it looks like he’s released two albums between that one and this newest one, “Ghosts.”  I guess the bright side is I have two additional “new” Enigk records to listen to in the near future.
• ...It’s almost like I half-ass everything and wait and do all of my research literally while I’m writing the review (which is totally true).
• This is where I remind people that his solo debut “Return Of The Frog Queen” is one of the great lost classics of the nineties, true chamber pop perfection and Sub Pop really needs to get off their ass and reissue the vinyl on the goddamn thing.  Getting to see him perform live just after it came out, complete with a mini-orchestra, is one of the live music highlights of my life.
• I thought “Ghosts” was a decent record on first pass, but multiple listens really pays off.  It’s got some of that chamber pop of “Frog Queen,” some of the subdued rock of Sunny Day Real Estate’s “The Rising Tide,” and a fair amount of straight-forward folk elements as well.
• Side note, if you’re interested: “The Rising Tide” was apparently recently reissued on vinyl, so if that’s something you care about, get on it.  I’ll be going shopping this weekend.
• If I had managed to really sink my teeth into this record a little more before the end of 2017, I’m certain it would have finished as one of my favorite records of the year. 

Jeremy Enigk - World Waits (Reincarnate, 2006)

Jeremy Enigk
World Waits
Reincarnate
2006

Rating: 7 frog queens out of 10

It’s been ten years since Jeremy Enigk split off from Sunny Day Real Estate, found jesus, and released the absolutely brilliant orchestral pop album “Return of the Frog Queen”. A lot has changed around the world in those ten years, so while I might have been hoping that Enigk’s sophomore solo effort “World Waits” would be a “Frog Queen" sequel, it’s not really reasonable to expect that to actually happen. Instead, we got an album that is more electrified, less orchestral, and…dare I say it – possibly befitting of an “adult contemporary” label. The one thing that entered my head upon first listen and never let up was the mid-80s work of Peter Gabriel, particularly his immensely popular album “So”. It doesn’t sound dated like that release, and there is nothing quite as silly as “Sledgehammer” on “World Waits”, but other than Enigk’s recognizable voice many of these tracks would easily be passed off as fare for one of those crappy lite-rock stations. With all that said – I quite like this record. I know, it doesn’t add up, and maybe it’s a sign of me turning into my parents, but outside of some overly serious lyrics here and there, this is a really beautiful album, with more than enough going on to tide over pop fans and Sunny Day fans alike.