Johanna Warren - "Gemini II"

Florida based Singer/Songwriter Johanna Warren, honestly stole my heart from the moment I heard her 2013 debut "Fates".  And honestly, that's not something that happens too often for me, especially with Folk artists.  This album was warm and cozy, with a very rustic sound to it, Marissa Nadler fans will probably eat this album up.  Johanna's vocals are often so inviting and sweet, but I really love the very classical approach to folk.  Like, it literally sounded like Johanna recorded this album out in the forest with all sorts of natural sounds invading this album.  It's beautiful but also wonderfully written, and a really awesome freakin' debut.  Shockingly, I felt a lot of the same things about her 2015 follow up "Nūmūn".  This album was a warm, Folk gem that made me want to light up the fire and get cozy.  But at the same time, it contained a whole lot of the ethereal vibes and almost strangely Celtic references. But outside of that, the production on here was just so crisp and beautiful, and the more ambient passages came off wonderfully.  And while one or two tracks maybe came off a little too straightforward (i.e. "Less Traveled" and "Found I Lost"), this album overall was great.  Now, in 2016 Johanna released her "Gemini I" album, which changed things up a bit.  This album showed Johanna going down a little more of an Alternative Country route and brought in some layered vocals.  The result, was just sort of alright.  Tracks like "Let Me Stay" and "Circlenot Astraight" were fantastic, but other tracks showed Johanna not showing nearly as much personality.  Now, it's been a few years since we've heard from Johanna.  And these opening singles have been divine, and some of her most haunting and mysterious yet.  Let's chat about what Johanna's been working on.

This album starts off with “Hopelessness Has Done Nothing For Me”, a very light folk intro  And I have to stress the word “Light”, there isn’t that wonderfully hulking atmosphere that we’ve gotten from the past of Johanna’s music.  But I have t say, she makes up for that with her incredible voice that I would swear has gotten better and better with age.  I love just how bluesy and emotional she comes off here.  Johanna just sounds so bruised, and this is certainly a tune of abandonment and just how much it hurts.  It’s incredibly strong, and quickly sets up the very real issue this album faces.  Now, remember that very earthy feel that I told you was missing on the intro?  It shows up on “Say You Do” in spades.  I love the atmosphere here, I feel like listening to tunes like this that Johanna chilled in the wilderness for a winter and recorded these tunes.  I just can’t tell you how much I love the feel of this one, and her vocals go for a much darker tone.  But more than that, this is just so much more of a commanding performance by her.  This album is haunted, by abuse and trauma, and in parts, it’s incredibly real. But I have to say, tracks like “Say You Do” seriously stick with you.  By the time we get to tracks like “Here To Tell”, it’s clear that this album seriously has a very thick veil over it.  It’s totally chilling in parts, but Johanna makes it very digestible, mostly because she’s become so much more comfortable in performing.  I love the very delicate pianos as well as the breezy playing here.  “Gemini” may have been a personal album, but “Gemini II”, like it’s album cover, suggests it is it’s sister album’s very ugly relative.  But beyond that, Johanna’s method of storytelling has gotten to near expert levels, as she’s just so patient in her performance.  This one is easily one of the more whimsical tracks on the album, but it’s another knockout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTesaoL3JPs

    Up next we have “Cause Or Effect” which starts out with this bizarre sound collage, but hazes quickly into probably the most straightforward track here.  Now, lyrically, I really still love just how intense and personal this is.  But for me, I’m not nearly into this much more straightforward brand of folk from Johanna.  There isn’t nearly as thick of an atmosphere here, which takes out a lot for me.  This is decent and all, and Johanna’s performance is totally fine.  But, I have to say, without that thick atmosphere, this doesn’t stick nearly as much.   Thankfully, “Inreverse” brings back that atmosphere in a big way.  I love the patient guitar riffs which really do compliment Johanna’s more bluesy and downtrodden performance on this one.  This is a very bruised Johanna Warren, one that’s seriously been through a lot.  But it makes for these incredibly real performances.  Some of her vocals here are just so stunning, and even this one is a little more cryptic, I feel like it’s one of her most creative and chilling here.  Then we have “Boundaries” which is actually one of the warmer and more inviting tracks on here, however, that’s sort of wiped out once Johanna starts her very tear-jerking performance. This is easily one of her most powerful performances here, with her seeming so defeated, yet still far from giving up the fight.  It’s smooth, yet it comes off intense in a lot of ways since Johanna’s performance is just so real.  This experience, whatever it as, clearly has left a mark on Johanna.  But she seems so strong at the end of the day, it’s commendable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm5Q77PMAe4
 
    “Cleansed By Fire” on the other hand, sort of takes a very classic approach to Folk once again.  However, this is by far the biggest miss of the album for me.  I’m not nearly as into Johanna’s much more drawn out vocals on this one, which never really seem to go anywhere.  The atmosphere of this one may just be one of the strongest here, and that’s totally fine.  But with nothing else going on, I feel like “Cleansed By Fire” is just so boring, which is something I really haven’t felt about any other track here.  Not to mention, it’s by far the longest track here.  “Cleansed By Fire” sadly does nothing for me.  On the other hand, “Mine To Take” is actually really interesting.  It’s easily the most empowering, dare I say hopeful track here.  Johanna’s vocals sound so uplifting and powerful, and nothing about this one is bruised in any way.  For a sort of upbeat folk tune here, I’ll be honest this is one that’s actually great at mixing things up.  This album finishes up with “Was It Heaven”, which is easily one of the most atmospheric and seriously heavy tunes here.  I love just how ominous this one comes off, and once again how cryptic Johanna sounds.  I literally feel like as this album edged on, Johanna has unraveled almost completely.  It’s a twisted track, filled with powerful one-liners.  To be honest, though, I freakin’ love how massive this one is.  I would much rather sit with this one nearing 5 minutes than some of the short tracks here that left me craving more. 


Rating: 7.9/10

Give A Listen To: “Hopelessness Has Done Nothing For Me”, “Say You Do”, “Was It Heaven”, “Boundaries”

Genre: Indie Folk / Alternative Folk

Overall Thoughts: Johanna on here comes through with easily some of her most emotionally powerful music yet.  I feel like there are a few tracks where I miss some of the more ethereal atmospheres of Johanna's first few recordings.  But Johanna matches that with an incredible personality and almost painfully real stories.