{"product_id":"the-forecast","title":"The Forecast","description":"\u003cp\u003eDownpilot is ostensibly the solo project of singer \/ songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and recording\/mix engineer Paul Hiraga. For the last four albums, Hiraga has\nrecorded and mixed single-handedly, which has given his work a seasoned clarity, and his seventh album, \u003ci\u003eThe Forecast\u003c\/i\u003e, is the boldest, most exquisitely crafted\nDownpilot album to date. A trip across multiple decades with influences subtly ranging from the melodic Laurel Canyon-esque ballads (“Balancer”), to Baroque\nand Sunshine Pop of the late 60s and 70s (“Strangers Hotel”), to 90s Britpop (“Red Desert”), all with a 21st Century spin, it’s nothing less than an achievement that\n\u003ci\u003eThe Forecast\u003c\/i\u003e hangs together so wonderfully as a cohesive body of work. The crystalline intro to “Black Eye”, the album’s opener, showcases Hiraga’s voice,\nwhich has a richness and raspy expressiveness that has never sounded better than it does on this album. “Black Eye” is one of Hiraga’s finest songs to date with\none of the catchiest choruses in the Downpilot catalog. Hiraga has long been exploring a range of themes in his songwriting: the inevitability of change, the\nmystery and beauty of nature, the varied histories of places and people, the complexity of human relationships, and the uncertainty of the future. He is a\nSeattle-based artist, and the Pacific Northwest is a palpable presence – it has gotten into his blood, and it seeps into the songs. With the sparse and delightfully\nrhythmic “Totems,” he evokes the distant past of the region, interweaving it with individual and personal narratives. The intoxicated twang of “Night Shade”\nunderpins a lament on things lost, while shimmery guitar and three-part vocals on “Balancer” take a bow to CSN, making a layered bed for a poetic love song. The\nmelodic chorus of “Strangers Hotel,” a symphony of strings, piano, and obscure oddball keyboards underpins a philosophical exploration of memory and the\nnature of reality. One of the albums most exciting moments appears with “Red Desert,” a desolate urban vision with a transcendent violin from virtuoso Melinda\nRice, who contributes string parts on several songs. Hiraga has also included longtime Downpilot members Jeff Brown and Anne Marie Ruljancich (Walkabouts)\nalong with Terry de Castro (The Wedding Present) to add a few vocal nuances throughout the album, with Brown’s harmonies adding a soaring quality to\n“Favorite Neighborhood.” Ending with the title track, this may not be the sunniest of forecasts but it is not without hope. Ultimately this is a life-affirming album that\ndips effortlessly into different styles while maintaining Downpilot’s unmistakable musical identity. Loyal fans will not be disappointed, as the \u003ci\u003eThe Forecast\u003c\/i\u003e\ncontains plenty of signature sounds, themes, and motifs. But this new collection of superbly crafted pop songs could also open the field to new listeners.\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"No Label","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50477393248587,"sku":"2008835","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/moNBsi1Q_05e6d925_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727471449","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/products\/the-forecast","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}