On Seeds & Bones, Joselyn & Don excavate their collective past and deepest fears through blues, folk, and jazz to plant their hopes for the future. Joselyn Wilkinson says, “These songs grow out of our desire for something better, for our planet, our society, our spirits, and our desire to share who we are.” The album was mixed by Sven Martin, who has appeared with Shakira, the Black Eyed Peas, and Liz Phair as a musician and now writes and produces songs for TV and film. “Deep Down” is the first single and follow-up of their 2020 debut album Soar. Its swampy guitars, powerful blues-tinged vocals, and ethereal lyrics embody the spirit of nature come to reclaim her wild heart in no uncertain terms. Don Barrozo’s heavy guitar hooks and rhythmic work are juxtaposed with syncopated drums, creating a hypnotic feel. Whether this is a song or a spell is debatable, but this western gothic blues will compel its listeners to dig in. “Give Up the Ghost” is a call to give up the hate that still permeates our society and recognize the history that has allowed it to continue. In talking to the ancestors involved in slavery, we acknowledge the past and release its control of us, so we can heal and move forward together. A unified horn section announces this song as an anthem while funky guitar work and major chord progressions belie a strong message.
Seeds & Bones is about what we choose to carry with us and what we choose to let go. Bones can carry ancestral knowledge or stories, but they can also weigh us down with expectations and history. Seeds are the future, but we must be careful about what we plant and give to the next generation. We can’t have one without the other – past and future, hope and regret, birth and death, dreams and darkness.
