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 Anyone who enjoys the drive of the 60s Sly & the Family Stone, the inventiveness of rock cum rhythm & blues of Prince & soul crooning of Angelo Bond will find this engaging. While the instrumentation has flare & sparks it never comes gets out of control & remains gratifying. “Water” opens the set & by “The Flood,” a more reggae-inspired tune plugged into a highly charged presentation is a winner. The songs have an enticing array of styles. Varied brass takes that make each song convincing. A highly enjoyable showcase.

The independent album The Flood  is a well-mixed convention of musical styles. Jeshua also has a talent for music pacing since he has the active tunes grab the ear & then “In a Dream,” seduces the listener. A warm tight spirited ballad that’s well recorded & captures its cool resounding sensitivity. The guitars jingle, jangle & scrape in a syncopated breezy way.

The Spotlight Column
(by Lee Zimmerman)

A selected sampling of indie albums that reside just below the radar…

Jeshua Marshall (from the album The Flood on Stereo Sound)

One has to give Jeshua Marshall credit for furthering his fortunes. He and his band have toured all 50 states, every province in Canada, some 15 European countries, and as far afield as the Middle East. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, he hails from the Great White North having been raised in the divide between the U.S. and British Columbia. The Flood is his second solo album, a follow-up to his well received 2021 debut, Shoot the Moon, and an adventurous effort at that. The music is varied throughout, from the brass-infused reggae of the aptly-titled “Swing” and the swaying saunter of “Agua Es Vida” (a duet sung in Spanish with guest vocalist Yanin Saavedra), to the sultry and sensual stride of “Wave”, the electrifying energy of “Closed Doors”, and the sprightly sounding “Ride”. That said, the song titled “Water” a tune written about a flood in the town of Knights Ferry, takes on a special urgency, given that its infused with a passion and purpose that’s distinctly its own.
 

by Dave Franklin

It is always interesting when you listen to an artist from the position of knowing a little about their back story. It is then that you can fully appreciate and perhaps even unpick the various sounds and styles found in their work. Everyone leaves fingerprints on everything they do, so if you know where to look, you can often still see the tell tale signs of the younger artist in their later work.

Such sonic detective work reveals plenty about the path that has taken Jeshua Marshall from his formative years to his current release, “Water”. Lyrically you can hear echoes of the religious household he grew up in and the folk music that was his first love. But also, there is something of Hendrix’s influence on his deft soloing, a hint of the swagger and muscle of his earlier punk days and the same blend of poise and raw-edged vocals that tell of his folk-punk past.

Now, as a solo artist, all of those influences have been channelled into a soulful, upbeat gospel sound, but one driven by breezy brass, groovesome, funky rhythms, slick guitar licks and gorgeous and mature vocal tones. “Water” is the sound of the modern age being offered a new take on timeless sounds. It is also a reminder that there are plenty of new places to take the established genres of the past and that all sounds and styles are ripe for reinvention. How do I know? Because I have just listened to Jeshua Marshall, that’s how.