Chuck Johnson
Balsams
Oakland, California
Merch for this release:
Compact Disc (CD), Vinyl LP, Cassette
Along with serving as a mile marker in the composer/musician’s career, Chuck Johnson’s Balsams also bears deep personal resonance. The record, Johnson’s pedal steel debut, pays tribute to his then-injured dog Bubbles, who was convalescing from a spinal injury. According to Johnson, Bubbles often gravitated towards lulling, droning music, which is reflected by the mile-deep waves and pillowy clouds of pedal steel, jabbed with just enough bass tones to mark time. While Balsams ultimately imparts solitude and contemplation, its aura glows with hope and healing—for Bubbles, and for the listener.