Since his first solo CD in 2006 Jon Brooks has delivered beautifully crafted and intricately literate songs based in his view of the world. A world which is a seemingly depressing and cruel place, but through his eyes, a world littered with shards of grace in amongst the glowing promise of hope that we humans have to cling to.
With aptly sparse arrangements and help for his gritty down to earth voice from the likes of Lynn miles and Carrie Elkin, Delicate Cages delivers that and more as we follow his journeys across the country, meeting an assortment of characters from cab drivers in Fort McMurray to cage fighters in Toronto, whose career choices were born in child soldiers in Sarajevo. “The Lonesome Death of Aqsa Parvez” mirrors the daily newspaper stories of honour killings with particular poignancy.
But as I said there is hope and beauty and a tender side as well in pretty tunes like “Madeleine” and particularly the lovely and spritely “Hudson Girl”.
I like a man not afraid to deal with the big questions in life and especially one who can come to this conclusion after going trough a list of things, both shallow and profound he has admired throughout his life.
“Ah but now that I am older
it’s mercy that I admire most”
Jon Brooks’ Delicate Cages – it’s a good ‘un.
les siemieniuk
November, 2011