Amen Dunes - Freedom (2018)

Philadelphia indie folk rocker and mainstay of the New York-based musical project Amen Dunes Damon McMahon has, under the Amen Dunes name, undoubtedly released one of the standout albums of 2018. Freedom is very much a project born of contradiction, it is intense yet laid back, it cries out in excruciating pain whilst maintaining sombre propriety. Right from the initial notes of album opener Blue Rose, the vast, somewhat empty soundscape takes hold. The intriguing part of Blue Rose is that it seems to say more with its use of empty space than with the notes that are played. McMahon expertly uses this track to set the tone for the album, it is the first stepping stone, with each subsequent track building upon the last, until eventually, McMahon’s warbling, Dylan-esque vocals are in the driver’s seat. For many of the elements that make up Freedom, the key word is atmosphere, the overarching sense of doom on the earlier tracks takes control when setting the tone. The poetic lyricism and distinctive vocals slowly shine through as the album builds, and the instrumentals eventually follow, moving, track by track from the muted to the outspoken. The folk-rock comparisons become far more apparent on Calling Paul the Suffering, a solemn amalgamation of the sounds of classic folk idols such as Paul Simon, and the shoegazing indie sounds of modern New York. the track is a definite album highlight, it is an unusual, yet enjoyable slice of Brooklynite Americana. Lyrically, the album’s pièce de résistance is without a doubt Believe, a minimalist, visceral indie-folk outlet of pain from the troubled McMahon. From Believe onwards, it becomes clear that Freedom has reached its crescendo, and sonically, everything is dropped a gear. This is where McMahon shines, as the slower, more pensive tracks in the Amen Dunes repertoire, such as the album’s eponymous track are the perfect showcase for his introspective and poetic lyricism and intimate, crooning vocal performances. Freedom is many things, one thing it is not, however, is a shuffle play album, this is a meticulously constructed work, rising and falling perfectly on cue, twisting and contorting itself to fit the many emotions that are addressed by McMahon.