We would actually have written here about the new album by The John Sally Ride, but that project came to an abrupt end after the unexpected death of their bassist Sal Maida earlier this year. And so it happens that Achingly Familiar reframes its content under frontman John Dunbar’s revived Elbow Patches moniker—the ten new tunes themselves still needed a home, not as a memorial (that will probably follow at another time), but as a continuation.

The lyrics circle themes of hard-earned clarity, with a recurring tension between hope and resignation, connection and solitude, optimism and A Dull Certainty that things won’t change (“You’ll sense no feeling of exasperation // Or even a minor sigh // I’m too frustrated to show my frustration // I will not be asking why”). Wry humor softens the blows, but that doesn’t change the fact that things are exactly as they are, and we have to move on anyway. However, it is mainly the jangly melodies, catchy hooks, and sing-along harmonies that provide warmth and comfort here.

Achingly Familiar, written and performed by John Dunbar, is out digitally via Heartpunch.

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