Featuring Norah Jones on Three Tracks!
Valerie June returns with her highly anticipated second album, The Order of Time. On this enthralling and illuminating leap forward, the Tennessee-bred, Brooklyn based songwriter weaves electric blues, African rhythms, cosmic atmospherics and delicate soul into an inventive and wholly original rumination on love, family, struggle and the passing of time. Produced by Matt Marinelli (Bad Brains), The Order of Time features twelve original songs all written by June. Musically, June has refined and expanded her sound on the new album finding space from her previous work in its artful, self-assured restraint and overall cohesion.
The collection's finely sketched character studies brim with richness and detail while June's ethereal, wide-open soundscapes provide a sterling backdrop for her remarkable Southern gospel and honey voice. Lyrical touch points such as ‘dancing shadows,' ‘hot suppers,' ‘curious neighbors,' and ‘holy water' draw the listener in and root these songs with density and weight. The "inevitability of change" and "time as the ruler of Earth's rhythm," is the album's foundation, explains June. "And the knowledge that with resilience and faith things can work out."
"Long Lonely Road" is a reflective and somber lament as June's voice reverberates over ringing guitar and unhurried drums, whereas the entrancing blues of "If And" internalizes regret in the face of time's relentless churn. On the spiritual "Astral Plane," June's mystical vocal takes an otherworldly turn, whereas the sumptuous string arrangement on "With You," is reminiscent of Nico's most affecting work. Norah Jones adds her distinctive vocals to three tracks and "Shake Down" sparkles with background vocal contributions from her father, Emerson Hockett and brothers, Patrick and Jason Hockett.
- Long Lonely Road
- Love You Once Made
- Shake Down
- If And
- Man Done Wrong
- The Front Door
- Astral Plane
- Just In Time
- With You
- Slip Slide On By
- Two Hearts
- Got Soul