Jose Gonzalez, the son of two Argentinian refugees, was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, and like many musicians in Sweden, he writes the bulk of his music in English. That being the case, it’s surprising that Local Valley, his fourth solo studio album, is the first to feature songs sung in all three of those languages. That move is refreshing for an artist whose languid pacing and homogenous style often leave his albums feeling tepid. Gonzalez’s four solo albums, released over the course of almost twenty years, offer little artistic growth or distinction, a decision that, for better or worse, feels purposeful. There’s little difference between this album and his debut, but for any artist who built their fan base on a single piece of work, that can be tempting. In any case, hearing Gonzalez sing in a different language over the same finger-picked melodies may just be the most divergent he’ll ever get, at least from his solo career.
Since 1998, Gonzalez has been fronting Junip, a group that has essentially worked as an outlet for his less folk-oriented instrumentation. Junip is not without its own flaws, but Gonzalez, as a way of cementing his dichotomy, has featured an acoustic rendition of their most popular single “Line of Fire” on Local Valley, a placement that echoes the much more compelling inclusion of The Knife’s “Heartbeats” on his first album.
Gonzalez’s solo work has never escaped the charm of “Heartbeats”, even at its worst, these songs still work as inoffensive background music, the kind of thing ripe for playlist filler. At its best though, Gonzalez’s craftsmanship and melody-building can be genuinely moving, whether it be the soaring lead-off track “El Invento” or the pleasant stroll on “Lasso In”, Gonzalez proves he can still write a compelling pop song. Still, after six years, even when Local Valley is working as well as his last few releases, it’s hard not to wish for a little more than consistency.
