Sounds Like:  Uncovering the truth, and the atmosphere that goes with it.

I have weird relationship with soundtracks.  I usually avoid them. I know a lot of folks whose musical identity is completely comprised of soundtracks. I have nothing against soundtracks, I just feel they’re designed to be in the background, to underscore something else. I can see the comfort in that thought, but also can see the crutch.  So how did a soundtrack become one of my favorite albums of 2023? Well, I’m glad you asked. Two words: Chuck Johnson.

Chuck Johnson’s albums “Balsams” and “The Cinder Grove” were two of my safety listens during the height of the pandemic. His deft hand at using space and time to convey emotion with minimal instrumentation is second to none.  Those two records put his pedal steel front and center. Here, on his work for the true crime series “Burden of Proof” he expands his musical repertoire. His skill for composition shines, but the steel, while still present, will often take a back seat to keys, percussion, &  strings. The swirling opener starts with a pulsing, circular synth that then makes way for cello & strings, & it sets the scene beautifully.

This record pulled me out of the musical doldrums. I played it a couple times straight through during that first listen. It’s a captivating progression from 2021’s “The Cinder Grove.”  To me, it seems like soundtrack format has allowed Chuck Johnson to push further into the minimalism than he might have on a solo release, and the results are mesmerizing. Don’t misinterpret that word “minimalism” though. There is a charge running through the whole record, filled with dread & heartbreak. It’s griping even in its quietest moments.  

A beautiful, chilling, and mournful listen, Chuck Johnson has both understood the assignment while elevating what a soundtrack can do with “Music from Burden of Proof.” It’s an organic and exciting evolution from a truly unique voice in music.

Favorite Track: Oh no, not this time.  Take in the whole album.  Put it on, turn the lights down, & let the truths you’ve been avoiding reveal themselves.