Album Reviews

On the first Onelinedrawing album since 2004’s ‘The Volunteers’, Jonah Matranga (Far, Gratitude, New End Original) mixes things up between delicate acoustic songs and more guitar-driven rock cuts and everything in between. The one thing they all have in common? Matranga’s delicate vocals and the fact that all of these songs were written during and inspired by a time of healing. Well, I guess that’s two things.

For this one, Matranga went through his whole Rolodex (yes, I’m old) and enlisted the help of Jimmy Eat World’s Zach Lind, Soul Asylum’s Jeremy Tappero, Texas Is The Reason’s Norman Brannon, Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba, Far’s John Gutenberger and Minus The Bear’s Jake Snider. Not that he needs the help, but it does make it all the more clear that ‘Tenderwild’ is truly a passion project.

The result? Eleven songs that range from intimate opener ‘Get A Dog’ and the twang-laden ‘Don’t Give Up’ to the summer breeze-y pop of ‘This Is Water’ and the pleasantly rocking ‘Everyday Angels’. It’s a far cry from the post-hardcore stylings of Far and an eclectic collection to say the least, but Matranga’s songwriting skills and familiar voice manage to bring it all together in the best of ways.

Tenderwild track list:

1. Get A Dog
2. Tenderwild
3. This is Water
4. Don’t Give Up
5. Serious Question
6. When I Did Drugs
7. Everyday Angels
8. Hell Of A Year
9. What I Know
10. Hello From Here
11. You're A Home