John Allen – Friends & Other Strangers

German folk-punk troubadour John Allen has been busy since I last checked in with the release of is breakout 2014 full length, Sophomore.  Since then he’s released a series of acoustic, live, and full albums at a prolific pace, cementing his reputation as a rising star in the folk-punk world.  Returning with yet another round on the ever-reputable Gunner Records, John Allen dives headlong into another deeply personal exposition.  Friends & Other Strangers is poetic in delivery and raw in emotion, making for an intuitive and engaging listen right from the start.

Allen is more artful than many of his peers, and he wears it has a mark of distinction.  Allen’s vocals are richly nuanced and his instrumentation is sophisticated and evolved. Take the dark contemplation driving the title track, with Allen’s rustic yet refined vocals guided by the soft glide of accompanying violin strokes as he spins his late-night tales of seeing “friends and other strangers pass me by.”  Balanced by upbeat piano-driven guitar rock, opener “New Morning” exemplifies the uplifting spirit and singable chorus-lines that Allen can reach. Other songs like “Raise Your Voice” further capitalize on this energy between more tender intimate moments, ensuring that listeners maintain a sense of vitality and vigor.

 But Friends & Other Strangers defines itself with some of Allen’s most poetic and vulnerable moments.  “Hemingway” is an explicit ode to novelist Ernest Hemingway, sung in a beautiful melodic prose style, spinning vivid imagery of dreams and wonderment.  Others like “What It Takes” embarks on a purely piano driven course, breaking the silence like a vessel’s wake leaving a single multiplying ripple upon a peaceful glassy lake.  “The night is always darkest, right before daylight breaks,” sings Allen as he makes room for hope in a world that otherwise “leaves common sense behind.” “Making Lists” digs into sentimental feelings, exploring a sense of affection through analogous lists of things he hates and loves.  “Binge watching Netflix, hot chocolate, ice cream … red wine and whiskey …” among various other of life’s simple comforts, before proclaiming, “in this show we call life, you’re the best episode.” Further nostalgia brims from the acoustic belly of “Late Night Summer Serenade,” invoking Tom Petty by name as Allen shares the mic with a female vocalist in a delicate stripped down memoir about, “all the things that were never meant to be.”

Overall, John Allen’s latest offering continues to confirm the enthusiasm that I felt for Sophomore several years back.  Friends & Other Strangers is poetic and pointed in its subject matter and delivery, combining Allen’s acoustic wisdom with tasteful piano and string accompaniment.  John Allen exudes just the right balance of polish and swagger, making Friends & Other Strangers an accessible yet deeply authentic offering.