Thomas V Jäger is the frontman of the Swedish band Monolord, one of the leading exponents of Stoner/Doom scene, whom we have the pleasure of reviewing here in his solo project. After an interesting debut album in 2020, April 20, 2023 sees the release of “Foliage,” containing 8 tracks of Acoustic Doom with forays into Blues and Folk. An album where Thomas presents intense and immersive compositions, showing a softer facet of the artist, differing from his work with bands. A mixture of Psychedelic Rock, Folk and Blues, with an Acoustic Doom imprint with personal traits. Fine acoustic guitar work intertwines with keyboards and deep bass lines, over which the artist inserts his unmistakable vocals that add an enveloping touch to the sound. The songwriting on the album is top notch from start to finish, creating a well-structured tracklist with the intensity remaining very high throughout. In addition to the great quality expressed in the composition, the playing technique on the various instruments played is also enhanced, with beautifully crafted melodic textures and interlacing. The retro atmospheres are placed in a modern context with personal traits, succeeding in my opinion to embrace listeners of all generations. The artist confirms and evolves the excellent sounds heard on his debut album and in his work with the band, showing here a more intimate and profound aspect of his musical style. A recommended listen for all lovers of the softer sounds of Rock music, with an acoustic imprinting and excellent instrumental textures that tie in perfectly with the intense vocal parts. Even the artists who participate as guests offer a high level of proof, adding quality to an excellent album, fitting perfectly into the musical context. It is always a pleasure to listen to different records while remaining linked to the Rock sound, enhancing a softer and more refined and deeper style of the genre. We hope to be able to hear more work from Thomas in the future, both with the band and solo, an artist who always manages to excite with his music.
Tracklist
01. I Hope It’s Black (03:14)
02. Cold (05:15)
03. Like A Storm (03:14)
04. Sea Of Green (04:34)
05. On Your Own (05:23)
06. Nocturnal Notion (03:17)
07. When I Call Your Name (02:52)
08. To Feel Alright (05:07)
Lineup
Thomas V Jäger / Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Mellotron, Synths, Drums & Percussion
Drums on “Sea Of Green” / Ryan Güt. Engineered by Yosef Sanborn in Joshua Tree
Drums on “Cold” and “Nocturnal Notion” & ”I Hope It’s Black” / Esben Willems
Percussion on “I Hope It’s Black” by Esben Willems
Bass on “On Your Own” by Hasse Nyman
Backing vocals on ”Cold” by Ellinor Hermansson and Isa Jäger Berglund
Lap-steel on ”Like A Storm” by Ryan Lee
In August 2022 we published a nice interview with Thomas that you can read at this link: [Interview] Exclusive interview with Thomas V. Jäger (Monolord)
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