Review by Shannon Shumaker
“Chip Away The Stone” is the perfect cinematic intro for Jonny Polonsky’s new album, The Other Side of Midnight. Starting off with low, fuzzy bass lines and quiet vocals, it’s hard to really gauge the feeling of the album at first, but then, Polonsky’s gorgeous high vocals come in, and the song really seems to come together. “Chip Away The Stone” is both a relaxing and haunting intro track that only seems to build as progresses right into the second song, “Lay Down Your Arms.”
One of the best things about The Other Side of Midnight is how well the album flows together, and this is showcased well early on with the first two songs. Though the mood on “Lay Down Your Arms,” is is much warmer and fuller than “Chip Away The Stone,” the songs flow well together. “Lay Down Your Arms,” is fuzzy and inviting (and sometimes even a little psychedelic) and it feels like the first chapter in the journey of The Other Side of Midnight. “Sunset Night” follows “Lay Down Your Arms,” and is carried heavily by a strong drum beat and acoustic guitar. The third song is a little more stripped down and raw than the two tracks before it, and the result is awesome. The low, quiet vocals are inviting, and it’s hard not to bob your head along with “Sunset Night.”
The quiet vocals and overall mellow mood of The Other Side of Midnight, however, tend to stay on the same level as the album progresses. That’s not to say that there isn’t any diversity in the songs, however, which is showcased well in just the first three tracks, and that’s not to say that some of the songs aren’t strong because of their soft and quiet quality. “Waiting For Something,” for instance, is very hushed, the vocals nearly whispered throughout the entire song, and the result is a very intimate and inviting track. “Waiting For Something” is the most mellow track on the album, but it is also one of the strongest. The following songs, “The Motherlode” and “Forever’s End,” however, just seem to fade into one another, making it hard for either of them to stand out.
The Other Side of Midnight comes to a strong close, though, rounding out with “We Could Last Here Long,” which has the same psychedelic feeling as “Lay Down Your Arms.” “Going Home,” the final song on The Other Side of Midnight, has that same cinematic feeling that “Chip Away The Stone” started the album with, which makes it the perfect closing track, leaving listeners lingering for more.
Rating: 4/5
Listen to “Waiting For Something”