Gratitude

After toiling away for years in the relative obscurity of his pasts efforts, the intimate Onelinedrawing and the hugely influential but underrated Far, Jonah Matranga has set his sights on the big time. While Gratitude is not a complete departure from his previous work, it is none the less a far more accessible vehicle for him to communicate his particular brand of positive, uplifting tunes. While the record contains a few real gems, such as the urgent opener "Drive Away” and the swelling anthem "Feel Alright,” there are more than a few bumps along the road, namely the hugely mediocre "All in a Row” and a blatant copy of every jangly U2 song ever written, "The Greatest Wonder.” Still, the band shows such wonderful promise during the emotional peaks of tracks like "If Ever” that it becomes impossible to disregard them for these few transgressions.