Recorded once again in Winona but elevated by the golden touch of Abbey Road's mixing desk—courtesy of Gordon Davidson's expert hands and Alex Wharton's crystalline mastering—this collection of songs breathes with the kind of sonic clarity that allows every eccentric flourish to find its proper place in the mix. The Minnesota bedroom has been transformed into a cathedral of sound.
"Forgiveness" reveals Blunt Blade's unwavering refusal to genuflect before the altar of genre convention. His baritone cuts through arrangements that shift like quicksand beneath the listener's feet—one moment channeling the angular precision of Radiohead's more adventurous moments, the next diving headfirst into disco-tinged electronic passages that pulse with the kind of infectious groove that makes resistance futile. The ghost of Frank Zappa hovers over proceedings, particularly evident in the way complex compositional structures are deployed not as showboating exercises but as natural extensions of the emotional narrative.
The album's greatest triumph lies in its ability to make the eclectic feel inevitable. Where lesser artists might stumble under the weight of their influences—and with a range spanning from Zappa to Radiohead and "far too many more to list"—Blunt Blade wields his sonic palette with the confidence of a painter who has finally discovered his signature style. The classical training reveals itself not in overwrought orchestration but in the architectural precision of his compositions, each track a carefully constructed edifice born from years of scholarship-level study and multi-instrumental mastery that began with piano at seven and expanded methodically through guitar, bass, and drums by his teens.
Producer Aaron Ruppert deserves considerable credit for helping wrangle this beast into coherent form. The production never feels cluttered despite the density of ideas, allowing space for both the thunderous low-end that Blunt Blade's multi-instrumental prowess demands and the delicate melodic filigree that separates good songwriting from great.
The album's emotional core—that quest for absolution suggested by its title—permeates every groove and synthesizer swell. This is music that grapples with forgiveness not as passive acceptance but as active transformation, each track representing another stage in what feels like a deeply personal journey toward redemption.
"Forgiveness" confirms what many suspected after the debut: Blunt Blade represents something genuinely fresh in contemporary music, an artist unafraid to trust his instincts even when they lead him down paths that more cautious souls might avoid. The result is an album that rewards both casual listening and deep excavation, revealing new treasures with each encounter.
Forgiveness succeeds precisely because it refuses to seek permission for its bold amalgamations. Blunt Blade has created something genuinely his own—a rare achievement that deserves to be celebrated.