It's been a couple of years since Liam Kazar's excellent debut Due North graced our ears. The album is a distillation of over a decade of Kazar's musical talents, which he has lent to tours and collaborations with the likes Jeff Tweedy, Kevin Morby, Sam Evian and more. Due North blends a variety of genres into this enthusiastically fun album that bears constant rotation. "Shoes Too Tight", which rollicks around lyrics that are equally dizzying as the jaunty instrumentation, is completely different from "On a Spanish Dune" which crafts this magical serenity that swirls together with wondrously melodies. This gives Kazar's sound an air of timelessness, making his songs feel like they are from an era that just feels... familiar. Thankfully we don't have to wait any longer for a new tracks from Kazar as he just released "Next Time Around".
"Next Time Around" continues on that path of timeless quality, embracing a warmth and outright tender sonic bed (unlike the one mentioned in the song). Kazar's voice is the clear star of the new track, adding an even more welcoming touch with his soft croon details a relationship that has come to an end. "Our love went dark and it’s all my fault" opens the song and he never pulls any punches as melancholic after melancholic line passes by. Kazar's verses are as straightforward as can be, but still hold a poetic complexity that keeps you coming back, even if that isn't the case for the romance at the center.
"I feel your ghost inside these walls" he laments and Kazar makes you feel every bit of it with his near demoralized, yet affable croon. But even as "Next Time Around" constantly drenches the listener with the sorrow of this past love long lost, there is a shred of hope (not matter how hopeless it may seem) in Kazar's voice as he cautiously notes "I’ll just have to catch you the next time around."
Catch Liam Kazar the next time around at the Hideout where he will be performing on April 7th. You can check out his fantastic album Due North on your favorite streaming platform or music store here. Feature photo by Alexa Viscius