[Review] Point Me East – John McDonough

Michael January 31, 2023 0

A rustic folk musing takes shape as John McDonough crafts a hushed sense of awe with “Point
Me East”. Things here have a whispered grace to them. He keeps things to the absolute essentials,
opting for his voice a guitar, and very little else.

By allowing this near-silence plenty of room to roam there is a fervent belief in the world. Poetry is employed over the course of the journey as he is trying to find something to discover himself in the midst of all this searching. Easily the highlight of the work comes from his steady vocals that convey so much compassion.
The reverence he shows for the world proves to be one of the highlights of the work. How he manages to explore the world around him is doubly refreshing, as he makes sure to hold nothing back.

A delicate arrangement takes hold, one that opts for easy-going rhythms and a genteel groove that does not give up. Within the very fabric of the track, he has a grace to his words, one that feels doubly refreshing to hear.

Nods to contemporary groups like Fleet Foxes and the classics like Michael Hurley adorn the entirety of the piece. Yet, for all these reference points, he creates a world that is distinctly his own. “Point Me East” features the intrinsic beauty of John McDonough in creating a rather soothing world, one that has a doubly refreshing stance about it.