V/A "For Jonathan"

The premise behind this very moving compilation record was simple: to honor a friend. Jonathan Hicks was a young man who died of a very rare form of cancer. Shortly after his passing, filmmaker and friend Chris Bennett put together a seven minute film tribute to Jonathan. He then sent the film to several musician friends, in hopes they would soundtrack this little tribute. What resulted was this, a gorgeous, moving two-disc collection that also serves as a benefit record to Children's Inn, a hospice that Jonathan considered his 'home away from home.'

As you would expect from the lineup, the music on For Jonathan is haunting, dark and beautiful. The participants are all acts who have made a name for themselves by making moving, thought-provoking music, and for this cause, their normally sublime music is made all the more poignant and touching. Though the collective styles of each of the bands are quite varied--from noise rock to folk, slowcore to lo-fi electronica---it's quite apparent that the film (available on the first disc) left each group or artist in a sad, reflective mood. It's also this film's quiet, gentle nature that helps to cement a bond between these acts; working together for a common theme, these songs all flow together as if they were recorded by the same band.

Though For Jonathan has a surprisingly cohesive bond which lifts the collective identities of each band to support the greater good, there are several moments that stand out. The gentle electronica beats of Tommy Guerrero's "Fade Away" start the album off with beautiful swatches of sound; Mikael Jorgensen's "Jonathan" lifts the record into the dimensions of Kraftwerk, and the epic, grand moments created by The Potomac Accord, RCBNN, Early Day Miners and The Album Leaf can easily be considered some of their best work. Dave Fischoff's "For Jonathan" is perhaps the grandest moment; it starts out with some touching piano enhanced with some beautiful windswept atmospheric samples, and it only grows more and more epic with each passing second. He's utilized every second of his seven minutes, and it's perhaps the most beautiful song I've heard this year.

For Jonathan is a beautiful, quiet record that is both moving, touching and hopeful--from death comes life, from darkness comes night, and this is for a wonderful cause. Two discs' worth of beautiful music is certainly worth it for your donation, and I'm sure that Jonathan is happy with this record.

--Joseph Kyle

Label Website: http://www.thegreatvitaminmystery.com
Charity Website: http://www.childrensinn.org
Film Website: http://www.wanderlustfilm.com