Seattle’s Josh Jensen has returned with his third album, “This Is Where We Landed,” a 40-minute, 10-song exploration into the wonderfully absurd circus we call life. Did you know that the collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament? Anyway, back to the music.
This collection of Americana-infused acoustic tracks navigates the bewildering journey of existence. It feels, at times, like trying to assemble IKEA furniture with instructions written in hieroglyphics – frustrating, yet strangely rewarding when you finally get something that resembles what’s on the box. Jensen delves into the weighty themes of love, loss, family, the wanderlust that itches beneath the skin, and, of course, the final curtain call: death. The album comes across as a musical manifestation of that existential dread one experiences in a long line at the DMV, only with nicer melodies.
The overarching message is a poignant blend of being delightfully lost and finding strong comfort in the people you found or find you. Acknowledging the universal burdens we carry, it reflects on being both fragile and robust, and the relentless tug-of-war between light and darkness, and somehow the music assures its safe arrival.
He’s tapped into something primal here. This record grapples with his wife’s battle with breast cancer. It’s an album exploring the search for truth within the maze of daily life, a sonic version of trying to find your car in a multi-story parking garage. Have you ever noticed how elevators always seem to be going in the opposite direction you need?
“This Is Where We Landed” showcases human connection as an anchor in these turbulent times. It nudges us to embrace the complex, confusing mess of being alive.
Maybe, ultimately, the destination doesn’t even matter as much as the journey itself.
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